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Some Thoughts on Tropicana’s New eDeck

The Tropicana Las Vegas will be offering the option of playing casino games everywhere, and I mean everywhere, on their turf. Wanna go out to dinner with your kids at the Legends Steak and Seafood but keep playing slots? Want to sit out and tan with your blackjack? With their new eDeck, you’ll be able to play those games and video poker too at bars, lounges, restaurants, and the beach club.

To be honest, while it sounds like a good idea, I think Cantor Gaming might have misunderstood the point of the casino floor. I have to imagine that the only people who will use it are people who are in Vegas without friends or family and want to be able to get a good meal off of the casino floor without feeling like they’re on their own.

The thought of the eDeck letting distracted parents get away with playing more slots while they’re supposed to be having lunch with their kids on a family vacation evokes images of the Simpsons episode $pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling) where Marge has so ignored baby Maggie that Maggie is crawling around the casino looking for her pacifier and Homer’s drunk friend Barney ends up saving her from a white tiger while Marge continues to feed the one-armed bandit.

Another thing that concerns me about the eDeck is the issue of underage gambling. Obviously, only an adult will be able to deposit cash into an eDeck account and cash in, but there’s no way to prevent parents from sharing the experience with their children any more than there’s a way to prevent parents from bringing home beer to their children.

Of course, this could be the idea behind the eDeck. Cantor Gaming is trying to make the Tropicana the first casino where parents can take their kids all the way to the casino floor. I just wonder if it’s the healthiest thing for kids, families, and even the parents themselves.

Personally, I like the idea of keeping the casino floor separate from the rest of the hotel and resort experience. That way, gambling time is gambling time, and family time is for the family. Even for those who aren’t in Vegas with family or friends, though, pubs and lounges are a great place to meet people. Burying your head in an eDeck tells people not to bother trying to befriend you. It seems like another way to cut off human relationships. On my next visit to Vegas, I might try out the eDeck just to see what it looks like, but I won’t be playing it all day. I’ll get my action on the floor, thanks.

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Continuing the Discussion

  1. Taking Your Kids to a Casino | Casino B Blog linked to this post on June 12, 2010

    […] my last post, I criticized the idea of the Tropicana eDeck, and compared having your children with you while gambling to images of Marge Simpson letting Baby […]



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