First off, I would never, ever, trust a shuffler!

2 years ago I attended G2E in Las Vegas and had an eye-opening experience at the ShuffleMaster booth. What I learned was that these machines are not just mechanical devices that randomly mix cards, ala: cards in, cards out.

While NOT all models are capable of the following, it is only a matter of time before today's advance technology becomes tomorrow's basic model.

The top-of-the-line models have a great deal (no pun intended) of smarts. They operate from being programmed in the same way that a computer operates from a program. These machines have optical sensors at the exit slot that views and records the sequence of every card dealt. This means that the Pit can instantly review a past dealt hand to determine if an error was made by a dealer or the player, after the card are picked up. This is the same as the Pit pulling the last dealt hand out of the discard stand and viewing everyone's hands when a dispute is called.

But beyond that, these machines have the ability to sort cards!!! Did I say sort cards? Yes I did!!!! The sales representative showed me that for some casino operations (in other jurisdictions) have requirements that stipulate at the end of a session, the card decks not only need to be counted, but they must be put in order, AND, not only in order, but in the order the cards are when sealed in the box. (Note: Not every maker of cards use the same patterns, i.e., A-2 or K-A, with diamonds, clubs, hearts, then spades.) And these shufflers are 'smart' enough to figure out what manufacturer made the decks they are currently sorting. While it would be easy to give the machine a hint, i.e., push a button that indicates a Bee deck or another button to be Gemaco, but why do that, just program the machine to self recognize manufacturer by back design.

Back design? Did you just say back design? Yes, I did and that means the shuffler has 2 imaging devices, one for backs and one for fronts.

So with all this capability, they should be called shufflers and sorters. And since they are computerized devices, why not network them to a central computer to better manage win/loss!

When I asked the salesperson what keeps casinos from dealing specific hands to specific players, he said, well that would against the law.

I can't imagine something like that happening, but if it did, I'm sure the NSA would have an awareness of it!

Bottom line, I would never, ever, trust a shuffler!