This acquisition happened quietly during the Global Gaming Expo. Scientific Games announced the purchase of Tech Art Table Game Solutions on October 3. This is quite an addition to the Scientific Games family as Tech Art is considered the gaming industry’s leading supplier of hole-card readers for blackjack. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018.
Tech Art will bring its innovative MAXTime 4H product to Scientific Games. This specific item is a combination of a blackjack hole-card reader and a chip tray. Tech Art also brings proprietary table games Super Fun 21 and side bet Bet the Bust.
There will be an opportunity for Scientific Games to market Tech Art’s MAXTime 4H internationally through their massive worldwide distribution network. This particular unit will help casinos across the world increase play speed and enhance the security of blackjack games.
Here’s a short promo video of the MAXTime 4H:
The MAXTime devices provide game security when dealing blackjack and is in use on over 11,000 tables worldwide. Here’s an overview of what the tray/reader combination offers casino operators.
- Polycarbonate shatterproof glass.
- Framed in 10 and 16 gauge reinforced steel.
- 8 mounting screws make chip tray more secure.
- RFID friendly.
- Available in various colors to match table felt.
- Faster and easier installation and change outs.
- Dealer friendly unit placement maximizes speed on the game.
- Dual locking lid.
This is a big step forward for Scientific Games in blackjack. While much of their acclaim comes from the slot machine world, their table games segment is growing rapidly. According to NASDAQ, Scientific’s table products grew 15.2% in the last quarter thanks to growth in leased shufflers, proprietary table games, and progressives bonuses.
Scientific Games has had a focus on electronic table games and dealer-assisted table games at the past couple of Global Gaming Expos. This acquisition should only make their table game inventory more appealing to casino operators.
What Does This Mean For Players?
Products like this are to help casino operators generate more revenue by increasing how many hands are played. The proliferation of 6:5 blackjack games with a large house edge is often the first concern blackjack players have when walking into a casino.
Adding devices like the MAXTime 4H to blackjack games helps speed up the action. Playing against a large house edge is bad enough. Playing against the advantage when it’s sped up can be brutal on the bankroll.
Scientific Games has products in many casinos around the country. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the MAXTime 4H appear in more casinos next year. Blackjack innovations that speed the game up for players can be good or bad.
You might want to note when a casino uses this or any other technology to speed up the game and offers player-friendly blackjack rules. This can be advantageous for advantage players. Similarly, you might want to stay away from casinos that offer bad blackjack games and use tools like this to deal more hands.
