Caesars Entertainment introduces skill-based games to Las Vegas

A Gamblit Poker unit. (photo by BSK Photo)

Skill-based games have finally made their long-awaited debut in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in the form of Gamblit Gaming's Gamblit Poker and Cannonbeard's Treasure, with more titles to be added in the future.

These interactive table games, played on Gamblit's Model G table, can seat two to four players and feature a 42" touch screen, a USB charging port, purse hooks and two cup holders to complete the experience.

Rounds last about 60 seconds, and the base wager is $2 per hand.

Gamblit Poker is poker with a twist, testing skill and speed, and allowing players receive up to 240x their bet in just a single hand. Using the touch screen, players must "grab" the cards they need in order to win.

Cannonbeard's Treasure is a combination of skill and naval warfare, according to a news release from Caesars Entertainment, similar to blackjack. The player who takes the cards they need and makes it closest to the objective without going over wins a chest of gold.

The touch screens themselves are akin to iPads, and easy to use.

Darion Lowenstein, CMO of Gamblit Gaming, told Casino City, "Luckily, both games are very simple and most players pick them up after watching the game for a minute or two. When the table isn't in use, a demo mode runs that explains the game. Of course as with launching any new hardware and game to a consumer, we want to do whatever we can to show people how easy and fun they are to play! At select casinos, we have an ambassador program where at peak hours on weekends we have a trained Gamblit host who helps explain the games."

The technology is being deployed as part of the Nevada Gaming Control Board's New Innovation Beta program, under which the games will be installed for a test run of a minimum of 30 days. This program allows these innovative games to reach their target audiences more quickly.

"We've focus tested both Gamblit Poker and Cannonbeard's Treasure numerous times, made significant improvements, and took in a lot of great feedback from operators all over the globe. We think this has created the best possible games to launch with — and based on early consumer feedback ranging from 21-year-olds to 75-year-olds the first week, people are loving the social, fun, competitive and easy nature of both games!" said Lowenstein.

Additional Gamblit terminals will be installed at other Caesars Entertainment properties — such as Caesars Palace, The LINQ Hotel & Casino and Harrah's Lake Tahoe Hotel and Casino, to name a few — pending regulatory approval. Caesars plans to install a further 200 terminals at its properties across the U.S.

Previously, Caesars released GameCo's skill-based games in Atlantic City.