S.D. Admin. R. 48:02:08:08

Current through Register Vol. 51, page 67, December 16, 2024

Section 48:02:08:08 - Software requirements for video blackjack

Video lottery machines offering video blackjack games or variations of the games must meet the following requirements:

(1) The logic of the hardware or software may not interfere with the approved random number generator software;

(2) A standard deck of 52 playing cards must be used;

(3) Before each deal, the deck must be shuffled randomly and frozen; all cards used for play must be taken in order from the top of the deck. The top 18 cards of the deck must be stored in nonvolatile memory. The manufacturer need not represent the whole deck in memory. "Shuffling" is the process of generating the 18 cards possibly used in the play and may be conducted in any manner that satisfies the randomness tests in § 48:02:08:02;

(4) Blackjack is a game in which the player attempts, on the total sum of the face value of the cards dealt, to beat the total sum of the face value of the cards held by the dealer without exceeding a total of 21. Aces count either 1 or 11. Kings, queens, and jacks count 10. All other cards count their face value;

(5) If the first two cards dealt to either the player or the dealer total 21, called a "blackjack," play must immediately terminate and credits, if any, must be awarded. This prohibits any "insurance" options to protect the player's hand against the chance that the dealer holds two cards that total 21;

(6) The dealer must take additional cards if the total value of the dealer's hand does not exceed 16. In the case of a tie between the player and dealer, called a "push," the player's bet or the push hand must be returned;

(7) The game may include the "double down," "split," and "surrender" options. The double down option may only be displayed when the first two cards dealt in the player's hand total 9, 10, or 11. The double down option allows the player to double the initial wager and receive only one additional card. The total wager for the game may not exceed $2. The split option may only appear when the first two cards dealt in the player's hand are a pair. The player may split the pair, forming two separate hands, and taking additional cards for each hand to play against the dealer's hand. The initial wager must automatically be assigned to both the hands. The wager for each hand may not exceed $2. The surrender option allows a player to give up the hand after the first two cards received for the return of one-half of the initial wager;

(8) Any options or other winning combinations must be fully explained in the game rules on the machine face as required in subdivision 48:02:08:01(12); and

(9) At the conclusion of the game, the machine must display the winning combination, if any, and the number of credits won.

S.D. Admin. R. 48:02:08:08

16 SDR 27, effective 8/18/1989.

General Authority: SDCL 42-7A-21(10).

Law Implemented: SDCL 42-7A-1(13), 42-7A-21, 42-7A-37.