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Are Apple Smartwatches Allowed In Gambling Venues?

Casinos and gambling venues, in general, can be considerably confusing for people visiting for the first time. They are not only large in size and filled with hundreds of people, shiny lights, and loud machines, but the sight of all those people who seem to know exactly what they are doing can also feel quite intimidating for a newbie.

However, worrying about having to aimlessly wander around a huge casino floor with zero signs, guides, or speaker announcements to tell you the rules of the place is not the only thing that might scare you. The image of the hanging cameras from the ceilings keeping a close eye on your every move, the usually large number of security guards, as well as dealers and pit bosses may also give you the impression you are constantly on the verge of doing something wrong, or getting caught red-handed – without even knowing what you did wrong in the first place.

apple watch casinoIf all this weren’t enough, you may even come across some venues that might restrict your access with an Apple Watch on your wrist. How is this possible? Do casinos have something against Apple devices? Let’s find out.

Apple Watches, Subject to Scrutiny In Some Casinos

Believe it or not, some casinos might ask you to remove your Apple Watch while sitting behind blackjack, poker or other tables. So is this an exclusive rule related to Apple Watches which does not refer to any other branded devices that have seen the light of day in the industry? It appears so. Why might this happen? Shortly put, because a casino might feel like the Apple Watch might actually compromise the overall security of the game played at the respective table when one or several players are wearing it on their wrists.

Of course, you could always avoid going through any unpleasant restrictions concerning your Apple device by simply joining one of the hottest smartphone casinos online which seem to be gaining more ground lately, and play 24/7 on the go, without a worry in the world.

You might want to consider using this alternative since Apple Watches are not the only devices that have fallen under the category of potentially risky devices patrons should not bring with them when setting foot inside a brick-and-mortar casino. Cell phones, in general, have always represented a rather sensitive matter in some casinos, so smartwatches, considered wireless extensions of smartphones, are, of course, regarded the same way.

Can Apple Watches Be Used For Cheating?

Some casino managers might also suspect that the tap notification on an Apple Watch could be used by card cheaters similarly to the way radio transmitter devices were used by casino cheats dozens of years ago. Plus, some casinos might also consider the Taptic Engine part of the Apple Watch used to receive notifications in real-time without causing any type of disruption an additional vulnerability, or threat for the house. Why? Someone who is not seated at the table might use the device to exchange information with a player inside the casino. The respective information could be anything from the current count in real-time, the dealer’s hole cards, or the cards that a different player seated at the same table has.

Other Types Of Electronic Devices That Can Be Frowned Upon Inside Casinos

Cell phones in general and smart devices such as smartwatches or smartphones are usually frowned upon by some casinos. Generally speaking, personal electronic items should not be used while actively engaged in a table game. This is made fairly obvious through the use of the thick walls you can see in large gaming venues across the world. The walls are meant to not only ensure the enhanced protection of the facility against all types of physical threats but also as a means of blocking cell phone reception. This means you will usually need to walk outside the casino in order to be able to make a phone call. The same goes for pagers and cell phones in general when it comes to sportsbooks facilities.

Camera Use In Land Casinos

As for cameras, most casinos are usually against them when they are used by patrons trying to document their fun night out or film a blog for their YouTube channel inside their venues, given the fact that most players would like to keep their anonymity and confidentiality while wagering behind the tables. At the same time, the matter of surveillance cameras closely monitoring players’ activity was guided by some very strict rules a few years ago. The rules actually protected the identity of players; however, as gambling has started being considered a public pastime and everything is pretty much out in the open in the online world, it has become difficult to try to separate between the two.

Just make sure to ask security guards about their monitoring habits or, better yet, stick to online or smartphone casino gameplay and play your favourite games straight off your wrist.

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