Stadium Gaming: Sucking the Fun Out of Gambling Since Late 2013

It’s new! It’s gambling! It’s sort of sucking the fun out of gambling for everyone! What is it? Stadium Gaming.

At the moment, Stadium Gaming is exclusively at The Palazzo, and we’re hoping it stays that way.

Palazzo Stadium Gaming
Sorry, photography was strictly forbidden, so we’re unable to show you this picture.

Stadium is sort of a hybrid between video slots and live casino games, specifically roulette and baccarat.

Each chair in the Stadium Gaming area of the casino (it takes up quite a bit of real estate) has its own interactive video display. Wagers are placed through the screens as live games are dealt by actual human dealers, nearby.

The video screens are fairly intuitive, so you can jump right in. Rules of the games are also available via the screens, so beginners can learn before they make their first bet.

Stadium Gaming roulette
On the positive side, the roulette layout has a single zero (no double), which is advantageous for players. It’s known as European roulette.

From what we hear, this Stadium Gaming set-up has been imported from Asia, where the demand for table games is so great, the casinos can’t keep up. Stadium Gaming has obvious advantages for the casino. It takes just three members of the casino staff to serve all those players, two dealers and a floor manager. Low cost, high return, just the way casinos like it!

While we’re happy the casino is happy, this whole set-up leaves a lot to be desired.

There’s no camaraderie with Stadium Gaming. Everyone’s playing their own game. There’s no feel of chips, and no dealer interaction. There’s also no real excitement. It’s mechanical, and unlike with video slots with no live game component, there’s room for human error.

Baccarat
We’ve never gotten baccarat, but it’s one of the most popular games in casinos among high rollers.

It’s not that we’re against playing machines that simulate our favorite table games. For example, we love Shoot to Win Craps. But even in that game, you bond with your fellow gamblers and share in victories and losses. (Not that anyone ever loses in a Las Vegas casino, of course.)

Did we win trying out Stadium Gaming? Yes. Was it fun? Not really.

The whole time we played, we had this weird feeling the whole game was set up to benefit the casino, with little concern for what a player might want from a game.

Nowhere on the game’s official site does it say anything about saving money on payroll, or churning through more results (the key to the profitability of any casino game). Dealers must absolutely hate dealing this game, because beyond this game leading to fewer dealers being employed, there’s no way to tip them via the video screens, which is likely to lead to far fewer, and smaller, tips.

But don’t take our word for it! Give the game a go.

For a limited time, to pursuade (bribe) players to try Stadium Gaming, the Palazzo is giving players club members $10 to bet.

If you get a chance to give Stadium Gaming a test run, let us know what you think.