N.J. Admin. Code § 13:69F-11.10

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 24, December 18, 2024

Section 13:69F-11.10 - Player bank; co-banking; selection of bank; procedures for dealing

(a) A casino licensee may, in its discretion, offer to all players at a pai gow poker table the opportunity to bank the game. If the casino licensee elects this option, all the other provisions of this subchapter shall apply except to the extent that they conflict with the provisions of this section, in which case the provisions of this section shall control for any round of play in which a player is the bank.

(b) A player may not be the bank at the start of the game. For the purposes of this section, the start of the game shall mean the first round of play after the dealer is required to shuffle the cards in accordance with the procedures set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.5(c).

(c) After the first round of play pursuant to (b) above, each player at the table shall have the option to either be the bankor pass the bank to the next player. The dealer shall, starting with the player farthest to the right of the dealer, offer the bank to each player in a counterclockwise rotation around the table until a player accepts the bank. The dealer shall place a marker designating the bank in front of the player who accepts the bank. If the first player offered the bank accepts, the player seated to the right of that player shall first be offered the bank on the next round of play. The initial offer to be the bank shall rotate counterclockwise around the table until it returns to the dealer. In no event may any player bank two consecutive rounds of play. If no player wishes to be the bank, the round of play shall proceed in accordance with the rules of play provided in this subchapter.

(d) Before a player may be permitted to bank a round of play, the dealer shall determine that:

1. The player placed a wager against the dealer during the last round of play in which there was no player banking the game; and

2. The player has sufficient gaming chips on the table to cover all of the wagers placed by other players at the table for that round of play.

(e) A casino licensee may, in its discretion, offer the bank the option of having the casino cover 50 percent of the wagers made during a round of play. If the casino licensee offers this option, it shall make it available to all players at the table. If the bank wishes to use this option, the bank must specifically request the dealer to accept responsibility for the payment of one-half of all winning wagers. When the bank covers 50 percent and the casino covers 50 percent of the winning wagers, it shall be known as "co-banking" and the dealer shall place a marker designating the co-bank in front of that player. When the dealer is co-banking, the dealer shall be responsible for setting the hand of the bank in the manner submitted to the Division pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.9. When co-banking is in effect, the dealer may not place a wager against the bank.

(f) If a player is the bank, the player may only wager on one betting area.

(g) Once the dealer has determined that a player may be the bank pursuant to (d) above and after the cards have been shuffled, the dealer shall remove gaming chips from the table inventory container in an amount equal to the last wager made by that player against the dealer or in an amount, the calculation of which has been approved by the Division. This amount shall be the amount the dealer wagers against the bank. The bank may direct that the sum wagered by the dealer be a lesser amount or that the dealer place no wager during that round of play. Any amount wagered by the dealer shall be placed in front of the table inventory container.

(h) If the cards are to be dealt from a manual dealing shoe, the procedures set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.8 and 11.8C shall apply, except as follows:

1. If a pai gow poker shaker and dice are being used to determine the starting position for the dealing of the cards, the bank shall shake the pai gow poker shaker three times pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.8C(b) instead of the dealer. It shall be the responsibility of the dealer to ensure that the bank shakes the pai gow poker shaker at least three times so as to cause a random mixture of the dice. Once the bank has completed shaking the pai gow poker shaker, the dealer shall remove the lid covering the pai gow poker shaker, total the dice and announce the total. The dealer shall always remove the lid from the pai gow poker shaker and if the bank inadvertently removes the lid, the dealer shall require the pai gow poker shaker to be covered and reshaken by the bank.

2. If a computerized random number generator is used to determine the starting position for the dealing of the cards, the device shall be operated in accordance with the casino licensee's internal control procedures.

3. When counting the betting positions, including the dealer, to determine the starting position for dealing the cards, the position of the banker, instead of the dealer, shall be considered number one.

(i) If the cards are to be dealt from the hand, the procedures set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.8A and 11.8C shall apply, except as follows:

1. Once the dealer has completed dealing the seven stacks and placed the four remaining cards in the discard rack pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.8A, the bank shall select the first stack to be delivered by the dealer. This stack shall be designated as the first stack by the dealer moving it toward the players.

2. If a pai gow poker shaker and dice are being used to determine the starting position for the delivery of the first stack, the bank shall shake the pai gow poker shaker three times pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.8C(b) instead of the dealer. It shall be the responsibility of the dealer to ensure that the bank shakes the pai gow poker shaker at least three times so as to cause a random mixture of the dice. Once the bank has completed shaking the pai gow poker shaker, the dealer shall remove the lid covering the pai gow poker shaker, total the dice and announce the total. The dealer shall always remove the lid from the pai gow poker shaker and if the bank inadvertently removes the lid, the dealer shall require the pai gow poker shaker to be covered and reshaken by the bank.

3. If a computerized random number generator is used to determine the starting position for the delivery of the first stack, the device shall be operated in accordance with the casino licensee's internal control procedures.

4. When counting the betting positions, including the dealer, to determine the starting position for delivering the seven stacks of cards, the position of the bank, instead of the dealer, shall be considered number one.

5. The dealer shall deliver the first stack as determined in (i)1 above to the starting position as determined in N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.8C and (i)2 through 4 above. Thereafter, the dealer shall deliver the remaining stacks in a clockwise rotation beginning with the stack closest to the right of the first stack and proceeding until all stacks to the right of the first stack have been dealt and then moving to the stack farthest to the left of the dealer and proceeding left to right. If there are no stacks to the right of the first stack, the dealer will begin with the stack farthest to the left and proceed to the right. The dealer shall deliver each stack face down to each position, including the dealer, regardless of whether there is a wager at the position.

(j) If the cards are to be dealt from an automated dealing shoe, the procedures set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.8B and 11.8C shall apply, except as follows:

1. If a pai gow poker shaker and dice are being used to determine the starting position for the delivery of the first stack of cards dispensed by the automated dealing shoe, the bank shall shake the pai gow poker shaker three times pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.8C(b) instead of the dealer. It shall be the responsibility of the dealer to ensure that the bank shakes the pai gow poker shaker at least three times so as to cause a random mixture of the dice. Once the bank has completed shaking the pai gow poker shaker, the dealer shall remove the lid covering the pai gow poker shaker, total the dice and announce the total. The dealer shall always remove the lid from the pai gow poker shaker and if the bank inadvertently removes the lid, the dealer shall require the pai gow poker shaker to be covered and reshaken by the bank.

2. If a computerized random number generator is used to determine the starting position, the device shall be operated in accordance with the casino licensee's internal control procedures.

3. When counting the betting positions, including the dealer, to determine the starting position for delivering the stacks of cards as they are dispensed by the shoe, the position of the bank, instead of the dealer shall be considered number one.

(k) If the cards dealt to the dealer have not been previously collected, after each player has set his or her two hands and placed them on the appropriate area of the layout, the two hands of the dealer shall then be set. Once the dealer has formed a high and low hand, the dealer shall expose the hands of the bank and determine if the hands of the dealer are higher in rank than the hands of the bank. If the dealer wins, the cards of the dealer shall be stacked face up to the right of the table inventory container with the amount wagered by the dealer against the bank placed on top. If the dealer pushes, the dealer shall return the amount wagered by the dealer against the bank to the table inventory container. If the dealer loses, the amount wagered by the dealer against the bank shall be moved to the center of the layout.

1. If banking is in effect during a round of play of the EZ pai gow variation, after the dealer has formed a high and low hand, the dealer shall expose the hands of the bank and determine if the bank's hand is a dealer queen's dragon hand. If the bank's hand is a dealer queen's dragon hand, all players' and dealer's wagers against the bank shall be deemed a push.

(l) If banking is in effect, once the dealer has determined the outcome of the wager of the dealer against the bank, if any, the dealer shall expose the hands of each player starting with the player farthest to the right of the dealer and proceeding counterclockwise around the table. The dealer shall compare the high and low hand of each player to the high and low hand of the bank and shall announce if the wager shall win, lose, or be considered a push against the bank. All losing wagers shall be immediately collected and placed in the center of the table. After all hands have been exposed, all winning wagers, including the dealer's wager, shall be paid by the dealer with the gaming chips located in the center of the table. If this amount becomes exhausted before all winning wagers have been paid, the dealer shall collect from the bank, an amount equal to the remaining winning wagers and place that amount in the center of the layout. The remaining winning wagers shall be paid from the amount in the center of the layout. If, after collecting all losing wagers and paying all winning wagers, there is a surplus in the center of the table, this amount shall be charged a five percent vigorish in accordance with N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.9. Once the vigorish has been paid, the remaining amount shall be given to the bank.

1. If banking is in effect during a round of play of the EZ pai gow variation, after the dealer has verified that the bank's hand is not a dealer queen's dragon hand and once the dealer has determined the outcome of the wager of the dealer against the bank, the dealer shall expose the hands of each player starting with the player farthest to the right of the dealer and proceeding counterclockwise around the table.

(m) If co-banking is in effect, once the dealer has set the co-bank hand pursuant to (e) above, the dealer shall expose the hands of each player starting with the player farthest to the right of the dealer and proceeding counterclockwise around the table. The dealer shall compare the high and low hand of each player to the high and low hand of the bank and shall announce if the wager shall win, lose, or be considered a push against the bank. All losing wagers shall be immediately collected and placed in the center of the table. After all hands have been exposed, all winning wagers shall be paid by the dealer with the gaming chips located in the center of the table. If this amount becomes exhausted before all winning wagers have been paid, the dealer shall collect from the co-bank, an amount equal to one-half of the remaining winning wagers and place that amount in the center of the layout. The dealer shall remove an amount equal to one-half of the remaining winning wagers from the table inventory container and place that amount in the center of the layout. The remaining winning wagers shall be paid from the total amount in the center of the layout. If, after collecting all losing wagers and paying all winning wagers, there is a surplus in the center of the table, this amount will be counted and the dealer shall place half of this amount into the table inventory container. The dealer shall collect a five percent vigorish in accordance with N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.9 on the remaining amount and place the vigorish amount in the table inventory container. The remaining amount shall then be given to the co-bank.

1. If co-banking is in effect during a round of play of the EZ pai gow variation, once the dealer has set the co-bank hand pursuant to (e) above, the dealer shall determine if the hand of the bank is a dealer queen's dragon hand. If the bank's hand is a dealer queen's dragon hand, the pai gow wagers of all players shall be deemed a push. If the bank's hand is not a dealer queen's dragon hand, the dealer shall expose the hands of each player starting with the player farthest to the right of the dealer and proceeding counterclockwise around the table.

(n) Immediately after a winning wager of the dealer is paid, this amount and the original wager shall be returned to the table inventory container.

(o) Each player who has a winning pai gow wager against the bank shall pay a five percent vigorish on the amount won to the dealer; provided, however, that if a casino licensee offers the EZ pai gow variation, each player who has a winning pai gow wager against the bank shall not pay any vigorish on the amount won to the dealer.

(p) If a casino licensee offers the progressive payout wager pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.14, the imperial pai gow bonus wager pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.19, or the optional bonus wagers pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:69F-11.17, the processing and resolution of such wagers shall be governed by the rules applicable to such wagers throughout this subchapter.

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:69F-11.10

Amended by R.2014 d.009, effective 1/6/2014.
See: 45 N.J.R. 1225(a), 46 N.J.R. 97(a).
Added (k)1, ( l)1, and (m)1; in the introductory paragraph of ( l) and (m), inserted a comma following "lose"; and rewrote ( o).