The Allure of Table Games in Casinos Endures

FLORIDA -- As reported by the Miami Herald: "James Bond never played the nickel slots.

"For him, and the other famously cool types who populate casino movies, baccarat was the game.
Gaming tables are part of the total casino experience.  Or blackjack. Or, in the latest Bond flick, Texas Hold'em poker.

"Table games have long conveyed an air of glamour and exclusivity, going back to Monte Carlo, the Rat Pack and Casino Royale. They're about high stakes, intrigue, padded leather armchairs -- and, of course, impeccably mixed cocktails.

"With a sophisticated, monied image like that, it's not hard to see why the Seminole Tribe is pursuing an agreement with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist for the exclusive right to allow some of the games at its already successful casinos. In exchange for luring more players and more money for the house, the tribe would pay millions into the state treasury.

"...Slot machines -- Megabucks and Quartermania are two of the more popular ones -- actually outstrip table games like craps, roulette and blackjack as the biggest moneymakers for most casinos, even in many top casinos where the highest of high rollers gamble.

"...And even though table games are often perceived as the exciting core of a casino, where players wager thousands of dollars on a single roll of the dice, the reality is that slots make money even faster for the house, depending on the game and the casino.

"...But table games are still considered the hallmark of a full-service casino -- in part for the cachet, but also because, when it comes to gambling, more is better..."