Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007 | 7:22 a.m.
Kenny Rosenblatt recently placed his company's automated digital poker table in the Hustler Casino, one of Southern California's temples of poker.
His next goal entails extending the reach of his product to the poker rooms of the Las Vegas Strip.
"We're planning an expansion into Las Vegas and Atlantic City in the next couple of years," said Rosenblatt, chief executive of Arkadium Inc., a New York City-based game software company and co-creator of the "FastDeal" computerized poker table.
Arkadium officials plan to work "state by state" with gaming authorities to achieve their goal of putting as many as 1,000 of their automated tables in public cardrooms nationwide by 2010, Rosenblatt said.
The Hustler, Larry Flynt's casino in Gardena, Calif., which remains home to traditional high-stakes poker games in addition to the FastDeal tables, represents an auspicious start for Arkadium, according to Rosenblatt.
FastDeal made its debut at the Hustler on May 17.
"We knew it was one of the premier poker destinations," Rosenblatt said. "We wanted to go with a big poker place rather than a place that doesn't put much of a priority on poker."
The FastDeal tables, like other automated poker tables that are beginning to make inroads in poker rooms around the world, use a virtual touch-screen display instead of cards and chips. The poker game is entirely computerized and does not require a live dealer.
"It's the same game," Rosenblatt said. "You can still look your opponents right in the eye. It combines the best aspects of online and traditional poker."
The same could be said of any automated poker table, including those produced by North Carolina-based PokerTek, perhaps the most recognized name brand in the business. Rosenblatt, however, touts his company's unique automated-cashier kiosks, which allow players to create a poker account, add money to an existing account and cash out.
"It's a seamless-type operation," Rosenblatt said.
It's probably inevitable that automated poker tables will come to Las Vegas poker rooms, whether they're produced by FastDeal or a competitor.
Doug Dalton, director of poker operations at the Bellagio, has said that although he would be open to exploring the possibility of adding some to his property, he would use them to augment his poker room's offerings and would not displace any staff members.
Bellagio, however, is a large world-class poker room. It's likely that dealers in smaller locales with fewer resources would be replaced if their properties brought in computerized tables.
"Most of the resistance we see comes from dealers," Rosenblatt said, "because (the automated tables) remove dealers from the equation."
Rosenblatt said he's encountered surprisingly little resistance from players , though.
"Once people check out the product , they generally take to it pretty quickly," he said. "After a couple of minutes, even old-school poker players take to it very well."
WSOP circuit
Harrah's has released the schedule for the fourth season of its World Series of Poker circuit, expanding the slate from 10 to 12 tournaments for 2007-08.
The circuit includes two Nevada stops, at Harvey's in Lake Tahoe Nov. 3-13 and at Caesars Palace April 20-May 1.
World Series circuit events are conducted at Harrah's-owned casinos across the country and serve to drum up interest in the annual World Series of Poker each summer at the Rio.
Winners of the circuit's championship tournaments, $5,000 buy-in no-limit Texas hold 'em events, earn a seat in the 2008 World Series of Poker main event along with the prize money. Each stop on the circuit also features a series of preliminary tournaments and satellites.
The 2007-08 circuit begins Aug. 29 at the Grand Casino in Tunica, Miss., and includes stops in Atlantic City, New Orleans, Indiana, Iowa and California.
Beginning with the November tournament at Caesars Indiana, video coverage of the final table will be available at worldseriesofpoker.com.
Poker for a cause
A benefit poker tournament Sunday at the Palms will raise money for the Las Vegas Jewish Community Center, which runs hundreds of charitable programs , including one of the area's largest food pantries for needy families.
The no-limit hold 'em tournament, open to the public, is scheduled for 11 a.m. in the Key West Room. It carries a suggested donation of $450. Rebuys are available. First prize in a $10,000 entry into next year's World Series of Poker main event.
Erica Schoenberg, Evelyn Ng, Mike Matusow, Eli Elezra and David Benyamine are among the pros scheduled to participate. Matt Savage will direct the tournament and emcee.
To register, e-mail Michael Eakman at [email protected] or call 480-7776.
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