Is it time for another vote on "dice craps" in California?

[Alan Mendelson]

Perhaps it's time to give traditional "dice craps" another chance among voters in California? In nearly every casino there is now some version of "card craps" which mimics the game of "dice craps." In fact the card craps games are so close to traditional dice craps that there is no difference in the bets, the payoffs, the odds, or the potential revenue for the state or the casinos. Except... that if traditional dice craps is allowed there might be more revenue for the state and for the casinos and for casino jobs.

Not allowing "dice craps" in California casinos is one consumer protection that is decades out of date.

Let's put it to a vote again but this time, the sponsors should not make the mistake of linking this legislation to expanding casino gambling in California which is what happened last time it was up for a vote.

Make it a pure "dice craps" issue on the ballot. Oh, and you can include allowing real roulette on the same ballot initiative. "Card roulette" is the same game whether or not a dealer throws a ball.

Take a look at my article about card craps here: http://alanbestbuys.com/id139.html

[Alan Mendelson]

A few weeks ago I played a card craps game at Harrah's Rincon Casino.

At Harrah's Rincon, a player throws two dice -- one red and one green -- and the face of each die indicates which of six cards is chosen to determine the "roll." A die with a 6 showing would indicate the card in the sixth position on the table, and that card might actually show a 4 or a 2 -- it's a random shuffle of the cards before they are dealt on the table face down. Ironically, sometimes my dice would show a 5 and 2 for a "seven out" on a traditional craps table, but at Harrah's Rincon that 5-2 might be a hard-6 or a hard-4.

When I played, I asked if I had to throw the dice to the end of the table and have them bounce off the back wall? That is required at "real craps games" such as those in Vegas. And the answer was "yes." And I said "but if I dropped them in front of the stickman, we'd all save some time and trouble." But I was told that they want the game run like a real craps game.

And that made me start to wonder if perhaps this casino -- and perhaps other casinos in California where "dice" are part of the card craps game -- are hoping for the day and are preparing for the day when "dice craps" would be legal in California? Might Rincon want to run a card craps game as close to a real craps game as much as possible so that in the future a smooth transition to dice craps could be made?

Rincon already has full sized craps tables, with the alligator bumps. So does Pechanga and at Pechanga no dice are thrown -- just cards are picked. Morongo and Pala have full sized craps tables. Hollywood Park Casino, the poker casino near Los Angeles International Airport, does not have a full sized craps table but it wouldn't take them long to buy one and move it in.

During the "small talk" of the game, the dealers expressed interest in having a real dice game. And no one said "no" to the idea.

I keep thinking that legalizing dice craps in California would lead to more tax revenue for the State, and the state needs tax revenue. Ironically, California stands to lose Indian Casino Tax Revenue as the result of a federal lawsuit that the Rincon Tribe just won. Perhaps legalizing dice craps would help offset the possible lost revenue? The federal court ruling says that Rincon was unfairly taxed for adding slot machines and a good way to make up for the lost revenue might be by adding on dice craps.

[Alan Mendelson]

I sent an email to the Governor's office here in California asking if there were any plans for a new proposition or voter referendum on changing the law to allow dice craps or Vegas-style roulette in the state. There was no direct answer. The email response said I should bring up the idea with my local representatives in the state legislature.

I have another idea. Perhaps a Facebook page for supporters of the idea to "like" the idea or perhaps we should start with those in favor indicating their support here?

[Alan Mendelson]

It's been almost two years since my original post on this subject -- and no response? I know that the California casinos have given up on the idea -- and several attorneys from California casinos told me that two years ago when I originally posted this.

But when I go to casinos such as Harrah's Rincon in San Diego and "new players" wonder about "the cards" and ask why the law is different in California, I can't help but wonder why we just don't give it another try to change the California constitution?

Anybody?