Legality of using a phone strategy app during play in states other than Nevada

I understand that in Nevada this is considered breaking the cheating laws by using an electronic device, is it the same in other states?

Quote: darthxaos

I understand that in Nevada this is considered breaking the cheating laws by using an electronic device, is it the same in other states?

Probably however I remember some other country not having this law and people were using a phone at the Roulette tables.

Quote: AxelWolf

Probably however I remember some other country not having this law and people were using a phone at the Roulette tables.

There's no law against using a phone in a casino in Nevada, except possibly in or near the sportsbook, but I think they got rid of that restriction recently as well. You just can't use a strategy app (e.g. a Video Poker app that tells you which cards to hold) that's on your phone.

There may also be a restriction on taking photos/video, but I don't think that's a "law" so much as a "casino policy" like 86ing card counters.

Quote: ThatDonGuy

There's no law against using a phone in a casino in Nevada, except possibly in or near the sportsbook, but I think they got rid of that restriction recently as well. You just can't use a strategy app (e.g. a Video Poker app that tells you which cards to hold) that's on your phone.

There may also be a restriction on taking photos/video, but I don't think that's a "law" so much as a "casino policy" like 86ing card counters.

I meant to say they were using their phone to track the roulette (Would be called cheating in vegas). Also you can't use your phone at a BJ table. It's not a law, however they yell at you, even if your just reading email or something.

I know in some states (not sure about NV) it's only illegal if you use your phone as third party assistance to play.

IE: counting is legal, but using your phone to help track the count or to tell other players info about the game while playing is illegal.

So even though it's legal to use your phone normally some casinos may ban it at certain tables to prevent this.

I remeber sometime (last couple years I think) I remember reading about some casino (forget what state) that was attempting to press charges against a player using an app to help remeber the count.


But nowadays with smart watches, Google glass type products, and all sorts of small and discrete phone type devices, it's probably harder to enforce than it once was.

Legality is a fine question, but first I would consider just what sort of an "edge" it would give you. Some of you are like that girl with Vagabond Opera who can simultaneously sing The Quadratic Equation and do a Strip Tease.

There are those Thousand Dollar watches for Roulette and Baccarat. I doubt they give you any edge. As a matter of fact, I believe you have to have quite an edge on in order to be drunk enough to buy one.

I would certainly think that any dispute (verbal, polite, non-threatening) about the issue would result in your losing ALL comp points you had been awarded or would have been awarded for you play up to the time of the dispute.

So subtract the theoretic comps from your "supposed edge" and what do you really and truly have left? A letter telling you, very politely, to never darken their doorstep again? Most of you seem to have the mathematical skills to at least do as well well as a phone app if you are anywhere near sober. So what do you really gain?

And if you are not truly sober... you are liable to begin using your tv remote by mistake. Be really embarrassing if you started winning with it.

In the US, yes it's illegal in most, if not all, states. Many other states have used Nevada as a rough draft for their own laws. Some states even flat out copy parts from Nevada.

In the UK they don't like you using your phone at the table, the old reason was that remote gambling was illegal (so you could have been receiving instructions from the gambler) and I've seen dealers ask the player to face away from the table to take the call.

What about using an analog device, like a click counter (http://www.armynnavy.com/catalog/catalog/images/tally%20counter.jpg) to keep track of how many slot spins you've been playing, for example?

I *believe* It is illegal to use a device to change or alter the odds. That's about as simple as I can break it down. (I'm not a lawyer nor do I practice law.)

I think this is an interesting case. I don't know the actual definition of the law, but that's how I've heard it / interpreted it. Using your phone to count cards for example, would be a simple case for the casino against a patron, because that would change the odds (if they bet more with an advantage according to their phone).



BUT, I don't know if using the strategy on your phone would be considered changing the odds.

Also, you could theoretically (in my opinion) use your phone and track every card being dealt at a blackjack game AS LONG AS you're not using that information in your betting/playing strategy.

It would be kind of like taking a test in high school, finishing the test, then looking at a neighbor's test just to see his answers (as long as you don't change or intend to change your answers). Technically, not cheating.

But either way, if you're caught looking at a classmates test (even if not cheating) or if you're caught tracking the cards using a device in a casino BJ game.....you would most likely not win the case.






If anything, I suggest you print out the strategy for whichever game you are playing and have it folded up in your pocket. Don't look up the strategy on your phone. Just look at the piece of paper when you get a questionable hand.


For other states, I don't know. But if you're in the US, very good chance it'd be considered cheating (using a device to change the odds)........although I am a bit leery (is that the right word?) regarding whether looking up the strategy on your phone would be considered cheating.

Your best bet is not to use your phone.

Good luck!

I imagine they wouldn't like a wad of paper, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind a simple Blackjack-like strategy card. I use a simple crib sheet for Pai Gow Tiles in London and they seem happy with that.

However when Blackjack Switch came to my local casino, I went away and tried to work out the strategy (didn't finish it completely) but took in four A4 sheets. I made a joke about it being a very complicated game to analyse - the manager joked back that I was welcome to remember it but not to bring in the paper!

I have seen several box people tell players at craps tables that they could not use a phone at the table. A phone, not some calculator or other device. Would that not be restricting a persons right to free speech?

I don't understand why many casino's won't let a craps player have headphones and listen to their own choice of music either, rather then be forced to listen to the incessant din of the casino?

Free speech, free music, free sex. bam

Quote: petroglyph

I have seen several box people tell players at craps tables that they could not use a phone at the table. A phone, not some calculator or other device. Would that not be restricting a persons right to free speech?

I don't understand why many casino's won't let a craps player have headphones and listen to their own choice of music either, rather then be forced to listen to the incessant din of the casino?

Free speech, free music, free sex. bam

No. Casinos are private property, many businesses have policies restricting or outright banning phones on the premise.

In the case of casinos they have the law on their side if they can prove you were using your phone to assist yourself or others play.

But even without that law buisnesses have a right to ban phones In certain or all areas.

Usually in my experience they will tell you to put it away if you are texting or ask you to step a few paces from the table if you need to take a call. I've never witnessed somebody getting forcibly removed because of phone use.

Quote: petroglyph

I have seen several box people tell players at craps tables that they could not use a phone at the table. A phone, not some calculator or other device. Would that not be restricting a persons right to free speech?

I don't understand why many casino's won't let a craps player have headphones and listen to their own choice of music either, rather then be forced to listen to the incessant din of the casino?

Free speech, free music, free sex. bam

That's not an issue of free speech....

I don't remember where it was, but I encountered one place that basically said "You can use your phone at the [BJ] tables; just keep it under the edge." So no fuss even when people were clearly using them in the middle of a hand.

Quote: ThatDonGuy

There's no law against using a phone in a casino in Nevada, except possibly in or near the sportsbook, but I think they got rid of that restriction recently as well. You just can't use a strategy app (e.g. a Video Poker app that tells you which cards to hold) that's on your phone.

There may also be a restriction on taking photos/video, but I don't think that's a "law" so much as a "casino policy" like 86ing card counters.

No, that once was so, but not recently. That kind of restriction was true about race & sports books per Nevada Gaming regs 'till about eight or nine years ago, but is not now.

Wifi connections are now routinely provided for customers in most of the better quality books, commonly also with power connections for customers' phones, computers, and other electronics at their seats in the better equipped books, and with some of them providing a password to a better signal specifically for the book's customers. I routinely use all of the above in Las Vegas books, and I've had management staff courteously help me get connected. Same is true of poker rooms.

The books will typically ask you not to use your phone right at the counter while stepping up to the window making a wager, but that's all. I don't even bother with the few rinky-dink antiquated books left that aren't equipped to provide me with a good data connection and power for the equipment I use so that I don't have to tether everything through the phone's cell connection and rely on batteries.

Of course they have every right to restrict use of such things in their facilities if they want to. They no longer have any compelling reason to have to want to in the book, and typically don't and in fact choose to do the opposite for sound competitive reasons.

Planet Hollywood has a very liberal policy with phones, I've seen non-playing wives and girlfriends constantly texting while watching their SO play.

I'm always on my phone in sports books these days, except when I may be participating in frowned upon activities with out of state friends, I do that exclusively outside of the 'book.