Less than a year after installing the first electronic poker tables in Las Vegas, representatives of MGM Grand and the Excalibur Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas have informed that all PokerTek Poker pro automated poker tables will be removed from the poker room starting on July 5^th, 2009.

 

According to declarations given by MGM Mirage officials, even when the tables offer lower rake and players can save a few poker chips on tips, players were reluctant to use the automatic tables and prefer live dealers and conventional tables rather than playing cards on a computer screen. Players use the touch-screens to control action at the tables, with no chips, cards or dealers. The 10 seat electronic Hold’em tables deal the cards and display them to the players on private screens and displays general information on a large screen in the center of the table. It also enables customers to set up accounts for betting and keeps statistical information on the games.

 

PokerTek says the Excalibur terminated its agreement with the company after almost a year using the tables. The company says it doesn’t expect the termination of the agreement to significantly affect its revenue or financial results. Several other casinos in North America are currently using PokerTek tables, including rooms in the Four Winds casino in New Buffalo, Michigan, in Quebec's Casino de Montreal and the Trump Plaza Casino poker room in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The system is designed to improve the casino revenue by increasing the number of hands per hour and cutting the costs of having live dealers.

 

MGM officials said that traditional poker tables will be installed once PlayTek finishes removing the automatic tables from the casino floor.