Is Counting Cards Illegal?

There is no major law in the United States, or much of the world, where the practice of counting cards is deemed illegal. For one, it’s a skill, not a ploy or a cheat you use to dupe the casino.

With this said, card counters cannot expect a warm welcome. Casinos will usually blacklist and ban them for life, and the profits are somewhat thin. Some of the best card counters, however, have made millions worth of winnings. Is counting cards illegal, however – not at all!

Is Card Counting Illegal in the US?

No, counting cards is not illegal in the United States. If you have seen movies such as “21” the issue of counting cards comes not because the process is illegal, but because casinos’ terms and conditions prohibit it. Count cards and win at a casino and you will simply be ushered out of the property and possibly be imposed a lifetime ban.

The good news is that even if you are caught, you can hardly get into legal trouble with a casino for simply practising a skill that you have learned. The only exception applies in those cases when there is some exploitation, such as marking cards or being able to tell imperfections about a deck of cards that give you an unfair advantage.

The casino might refuse to pay you if they find out that you have been cheating rather than counting cards.

Why Is Card Counting Considered Illegal?

It is not. Although card counting is not an activity that casinos approve of, there is no actual law, no enforceable federal or state rule that says that this is unlawful to do so.

Casinos are, however, entitled to their code of conduct which means that if you are caught counting cards, you will most likely be dealt a ban from the property where you have practiced it.

The misunderstanding that card counting is illegal comes from the fact that casinos may still punish you by barring you from entry rather than law enforcement stepping in.

Is Counting Cards Illegal in Las Vegas?

No, not in the slightest. Counting cards is not illegal in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is not to say that if you are found out to be doing just that you would have a necessarily good time. Casinos on The Strip and across Vegas for that matter are keen to blacklist players who count cards in blackjack.

If you are caught counting cards, you will usually be paid out your winnings in full and then banned for life from the property. Players may get banned from multiple properties at the same time, so keep this in mind.

Although not illegal, unless you are capable of counting cards discreetly, you will get caught and potentially lock yourself out of many of the city’s casinos.

Is Counting Cards Illegal in Colorado?

No, the same state and federal laws apply – or rather, do not. No rule says that players are doing something illegal for counting cards. How do you police intent and thought, after all? As a result, players who wish to count cards in Colorado casinos are subject to the same casino rules – you may do it, but if you are caught, the casino will most likely ask you to leave.

Sometimes, the casino does not have to prove that you are counting cards. They may even escort you out of the property – with your winnings – just because they suspect you. This is standard practice and nothing to be alarmed about.

Are There Different Laws about Counting Cards?

To be perfectly fair, all major jurisdictions such as Australia, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom do not have any rules that restrict players’ rights to count cards. The understanding is that the rules the casino imposes, such as denying service to a customer, still override the fact that counting cards is not illegal and not punishable by law. In summary, you will not find a major gambling jurisdiction that has passed laws against card counting.

What Happens to Me If I Am Caught Counting Cards?

Honestly, nothing much. You may be blacklisted from a casino. Las Vegas and Atlantic Casinos are usually showing a united front. If one casino blacklists you over counting cards, it’s possible others will take preemptive measures, or at least look out for you.

There are very few places in the world where you would be roughened up, but they do exist. If you are playing at a reputable venue, though, expect to be politely but firmly escorted out and usually paid out your winnings in full.

Is Counting Cards Hard?

Counting cards is a complex process that requires good focus, plenty of practice outside of a casino setting, and an understanding of probabilities. Apart from counting cards, you also need to understand the odds of getting a certain outcome based on how many cards of a certain type (usually “high” or “low”) remain in the deck. In a word, counting cards can be difficult when you first start training yourself to count cards, but with consistency and practice it will get easier.

How to Learn Counting Cards?

To count cards, you need to pick a card-counting strategy. The most common one is the true count strategy where you make a mental note of how many high and low cards have passed, and adjust the “true count” which will help you figure out whether there are more high or low cards. Based on this information, you can make decisions about how much to bet next.

Can I Count Cards Online?

No, online card counting is mostly not possible. Games that use a Random Number Generator (RNG) shuffle their deck after every play. You may have some luck counting cards at a live dealer online blackjack game, however. The cards are not shuffled automatically after every round.

What Is Card Counting?

Card counting is a practice that is commonly used in land-based casinos. It’s usually associated with the game of blackjack where you combine “low” and “high” cards and where you want to get a score that is equal to or close to 21, without surpassing that number.

You count cards so that you know how many of these cards remain in the deck and take calculated risks. The practice is difficult to master, but there are different systems for it.

The most common is the “true count” blackjack strategy, which will weigh how many of both types of cards there are, i.e. how many of each card are left and what your chances of flipping one or the other are.

Players need to observe the deck of a blackjack game and take mental notes. The difficulty arises not only with casino security staff watching from cameras known as “The Eye in the Sky,” but also from adding more decks to the game.

Few casinos will offer something as simple as a single-deck blackjack game, with most running at least 2 or 4 decks as standard fare.

Should You Count Cards?

There are many reasons why counting cards may look appealing to you. We will give you a quick rundown of why you may want to stay away from the practice. This is not to say that you cannot be a success when choosing to count cards. As you know by now, counting cards is not illegal. Regardless, consider these difficulties.

1. Counting Cards Is Hard

The first thing is that this is not a skill you are likely to pick up overnight. Apart from learning to count cards, that is to estimate whether there are more cards of a certain type of deck, you will also need to understand how these cards affect your potential to win. Yes, you know that there are more “high” cards than there are “low” cards, but what of it? Do you know how the specific card count impacts your actual potential to win cards? The best way to go about it is to read a lot of relevant literature and practice.  

2. You Need Plenty of Practice

Trust us when we say this – you would need a lot of time and practice to get to a decent level of counting cards. Most people will give up long before that, frustrated with the progress plateau or struggling to understand the more sophisticated math. It’s normal for people to wish to give up and the majority does.

3. A Well-Oiled Card Counting Operation Is Not Always a Success

Just like in the movie “21,” you might benefit from someone else doing the “spotting” for you. This means that someone will track the deck for you and tell you what the true count is. This way, you can sit down and start winning (and losing of course lest you get caught). The downside is that involving more people means that you are looking at thinner profit margins.

4. Honestly, It’s Not All That Much Fun

Another thing to note is that other than being difficult to master, the activity is not all it’s said to be. Winning certainly feels good, but the thrill of the chase is usually lessened by the fact that you are running the risk of being discovered or failing to score a big win, to begin with.

5. No One Beats the House

This is not to say that you won’t be able to win big amounts if you master card counting and hone your skills to perfection. However, sooner or later “the house” will know what you are up to. It’s just that casinos employ skilled card counters to protect them from enthusiasts such as yourself, and the veterans are long past the thrill of chasing profit at table games. They prefer a 9-5 and a solid paycheck instead.

Legality of Counting Cards: Summary

As you understand, counting cards is hardly an illegal activity – not in the United States, and not in most of the world. This being said, casinos will most likely ban you from counting cards. The process of counting cards is challenging and it may not have the intended consequences in terms of financial gain.

Regardless, card counters are still all over the place. You may have heard about some of the best ones getting busted and going to work for the casinos they beat. However, the even better ones are those we will never find out about.