In order for a house-banked card game to be authorized, it must be approved by the director or the director's designee and must:
(1) Be played with standard playing cards or with electronic card facsimiles approved by the director or the director's designee.
Authorized house-banked card games may:
(a) Use more than one deck of cards; and
(b) Remove cards to comply with rules of a specific game; and
(2) Limit the number of wagering areas to nine or less.
(a) "Wagering area" means identified areas on the layout to place wagers;
(b) All wagering areas must be identical to each other; and
(3) Identify all separate games in the card game:
(a) "Separate game" means each individual objective to be achieved within a card game that requires a separate wager and results in a distinct and separate pay out based upon the outcome;
(b) Separate games may incorporate bonus features; and
(c) Progressive jackpots and house jackpots are considered separate games; and
(4) Describe player requirements. Players must:
(a) Compete solely as a player in the card game, except as authorized in the approved card game rules for variations of Pai Gow poker where a player may bank the game every other hand; and
(b) Receive their own hand of cards and be responsible for decisions regarding such hand, such as whether to fold, discard, draw additional cards, or raise the wager except for separate games that:
(i) Use cards shared by all players (i.e., community cards); or
(ii) Allow players to wager on the outcome of the dealer's hand; or
(iii) Allow players to win a prize if any players' hand, including the dealer's hand, achieves a predetermined outcome at the same table; and
(5) Identify bonus features to be allowed in each separate game:
(a) "Bonus feature" means an opportunity within a separate game whereby a player may win additional prizes. Bonus features must be operated as described below:
(i) A bonus feature is not considered a separate game; and
(ii) Players must not place wagers on bonus features. However, players may be required to place a minimum wager on a separate game to qualify for a bonus feature; and
(iii) Players may receive a prize if their hand or another player's hand at the same table achieves a predetermined specific hand. If a player is playing more than one wagering area and any one of their hands achieves the predetermined specific hand, their other hand with a qualifying wager is entitled to receive a prize also; and
(iv) A bonus feature cannot be a progressive jackpot; and
(6) Not allow side bets between players; and
(7) Use only authorized gambling equipment; and
(8) A player's win or loss must be determined during the course of a single deal of cards except for:
(a) A carryover pot game. A carryover pot is an optional pot that accumulates as a dealer and participating players contribute to the pot. The winner of the pot is not necessarily determined after one game and the pot can be carried over to more than one game. Carryover pots must not carryover more than ten games. Participants must include at least one player and the dealer competing for the highest qualifying winning hand. Game rules must state how the pot is distributed. If the carryover pot has not been won by the tenth game, the dealer will divide it equally between the remaining players still participating in the pot and the house or, if allowed by game rules, only the players still participating in the pot; and
(b) In the game of Mini-Baccarat, a player may make an optional wager on the player hand winning the next three consecutive games, or the banker hand winning the next three consecutive games.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
9.46.070. WSR 21-11-057, § 230-15-040, filed 5/14/21, effective 6/14/21. Statutory Authority: RCW
9.46.070 and
9.46.0282. WSR 14-05-056 (Order 694), § 230-15-040, filed 2/14/14, effective 3/17/14; WSR 14-03-099 (Order 693), § 230-15-040, filed 1/17/14, effective 2/17/14; WSR 12-15-044 (Order 678), § 230-15-040, filed 7/13/12, effective 8/13/12; WSR 09-17-076 and 09-17-105 (Orders 656 and 656-A), § 230-15-040, filed 8/14/09 and 8/18/09, effective 9/14/09 and 9/18/09. Statutory Authority: RCW
9.46.070. WSR 08-21-086 (Order 632), § 230-15-040, filed 10/14/08, effective 1/1/09; WSR 07-09-033 (Order 608), § 230-15-040, filed 4/10/07, effective 1/1/08.]