Gambling fact and gambling fiction

My latest Las Vegas Business Press column is an extended take on the issue of accuracy in gaming stats, brought on by the Andy Rooney commentary of a few weeks ago:

The gambling business is all about numbers. Whether it’;s a roulette table, a lottery or a low-stakes bingo game, it’s impossible to run without knowing exactly what’s coming in and what’s going out. Because states share gaming revenues through taxes, it’s in their interests to keep well informed about these numbers. For that reason, legal gambling is well documented.

So it’s disappointing, at the very least, when people talking about gambling insist on ignoring — or worse, making up — facts that are in the public domain.

via Las Vegas Business Press :: David G. Schwartz : Without numerical facts, gaming talk spreads fiction.

I don’t think that this is going away any time soon, but we can always hope.

New paper on Baccarat

I’ve posted the latest in the Occasional Paper Series over at the Center for Gaming Research. It’s a great read:

Paper 03: May 2010

Theodore Whiting. “The History of Baccarat,” Occasional Paper Series 3. Las Vegas: Center for Gaming Research, University Libraries, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 2010.

Abstract: The true origins of modern Baccarat are probably lost to history. The first time the game Baccarat spelled Baccara was mentioned in print by a contemporary observer was in the early 19th century. The written record that would document the origins and evolution of the game is, unfortunately, incomplete. However, a close examination of the available material reveals some interesting facts surrounding the history of Baccarat, including a much earlier date for its arrival in the United States, that validates its continuing study.

Keywords: casino games, baccarat, game history

View the paper here (pdf)

via UNLV Center for Gaming Research: Occasional Paper Series.

I guarantee that you’ll learn a few things about the history of baccarat reading this paper. I know that I did.