Rules of Baccarat

1. Definitions

1.1 In these rules, unless the contrary intention appears:

• "Act" means the Casino Control Act 1992;

• "baccarat" means a point count equaling zero;

• "burn" means to remove a card from play by placing it in the discard holder;

• "casino promotional token or voucher" means a token or voucher issued by the casino operator to enable the player to have one free wager at a gaming table in the amount identified on the token or voucher. Promotional tokens and vouchers wagered at a table are forfeited after a coup whether the wager wins or loses. If the wager wins, the player is to be paid the winnings in chips;

• "casino supervisor" means a person employed in a casino in a managerial capacity relating to the conduct of gaming and includes a games supervisor;

• "commission or vigorish" means the amount collected or deducted by the dealer from any winning wager on the Banker's Hand pursuant to rule 12.1.2;

• "coup" means the period of play commencing with the removal of the first card from the shoe by the dealer and concluding when the dealer announces a result and, if applicable, collects losing wagers and pays out winnings;

• "dealer" means a person responsible for the operation of the game;

• "Even Money Baccarat" means a variation to the game of Baccarat whereby the settlement of winning wagers on the Banker’s Hand is in accordance with rule 12.2.

• "game supervisor" means a person responsible for the immediate supervision of the operation of the game.

• "inspector" means a person appointed under section 106 of the Act;

• "natural" means a point count of eight or nine for either the Player's Hand or the Banker's Hand in the initial deal;

• "point count" means a total value of cards in a hand as determined in accordance with rule 3.3;

• "table differential" means the maximum allowable difference between the total amount wagered on the Player's Hand and the total amount wagered on the Banker's Hand for any coup;

• "Tie" means that both Player's Hand and the Banker's Hand have the same point count at the end of a coup;

• "void" means invalid with no result.

2. Table Layout and Equipment

• 2.1 The game of Baccarat shall be played at a table having numbered places for up to fourteen seated players and places for the dealers.

• 2.2 The layout cloth covering the table shall display the name and/or logo of the casino, shall have areas designated for the placement of wagers by both seated and standing players.

• 2.3 The following equipment shall also be used:

  • 2.3.1 a card shoe which shall have a non-transparent sliding cover, from which all cards shall be dealt;

  • 2.3.2 a discard holder capable of holding eight decks of cards which shall be set in the center of the table and be capable of being removed from the table, in which all cards dealt in a game shall be placed after use;

  • 2.3.3 two markers denoting "Player" and "Banker" respectively, which shall be used to indicate the players acting for the Player's Hand and the Banker's Hand respectively.

• 2.4 The table shall have a drop box attached to it.

• 2.5 Where the game in play is Even Money Baccarat a sign indicating the payout odds shall be displayed on the table.

6. Minimum and Maximum Wagers

• 6.1 The minimum and maximum wagers permitted by a player and/or the table differential shall be shown on a sign at the table. Unless stated on the sign, wagers are not required to be made in multiples of the minimum. The sign may also state the minimum unit in which wagers may be made above the table minimum.
• 6.2 Where the total of the wagers for a coup exceeds the table differential displayed on the table sign, the dealer may reduce wagers pro rata on either the Player's Hand or Banker's Hand so that the total no longer exceeds the table differential.
• 6.3 Any wager less than the stated minimum or greater than the stated maximum made by a player and not rejected prior to the first card being dealt for a coup shall be treated as a valid wager.
• 6.4 A casino supervisor may alter the limits on a gaming table at any time except that a minimum wager can only be changed to a higher minimum if a sign indicating the new minimum and proposed time of change has been displayed at the table at least 20 minutes before the change.
• 6.5 A casino supervisor may allow a player to wager in excess of the stated maximum wagers permitted on that table, provided that a sign denoting the new minimum and maximum wagers for that player is placed on an appropriate area of the table. 

7. The Initial Deal

• 7.1 Immediately before the start of each coup, the dealer shall announce "no more bets".
• 7.2 There shall be two hands dealt, one of which shall be designated as the Player's Hand and the other as the Banker's Hand.
• 7.3 Four cards shall be dealt from the shoe face downwards. The first and third cards shall respectively represent the first and second card of the Player's Hand and the second and fourth cards dealt shall respectively represent the first and second cards of the Banker's Hand.

8. Dealing Methods

• 8.1 The game shall be conducted in accordance with one of the following methods, namely ‘Method A’, ‘Method B’ ,’Method C’, ‘Method D’ or ‘Method E’ providing that the use of either ‘Method D’ or ‘Method E’ is approved by a person exercising the functions of a Casino Duty Manager or higher and providing that ‘Method D’ or ‘Method E’ is not used on the Main Gaming Floor.
• 8.2 The card shoe shall be retained by the dealer except when ‘Method D’ or ‘Method E’ is in use, providing that Surveillance and an Inspector are informed prior to either ‘Method D’ or "Method E’ being used.
• Method A
• 8.3 The dealer shall pass the cards for the Player's Hand and the Banker's Hand face downwards to the players with the highest amount wagered on the Player's Hand and the Banker's Hand respectively.
• 8.4 If a player with the highest amount wagered on either hand refuses to accept the cards, the cards shall be passed face downwards to the player having the next highest amount wagered on that hand.
• 8.5 In the event that two or more persons have made a wager on either hand which constitutes the highest amount wagered on that hand, the dealer shall first pass the cards face downwards to that player with the equal highest wager who occupies the seat nearest to the right of the dealer.
• 8.6 If that player refuses to accept the cards, the cards shall be passed face downwards by the dealer to the next person with the equal highest wager, moving counter clockwise around the table.
• 8.7 Markers denoting "Player" and "Banker" respectively shall be placed in front of the players who accept the cards on the Player's Hand and the Banker's Hand.
• 8.8 The cards for either the Player's Hand or the Banker's Hand shall be retained by the dealer in the event that:
  • 8.8.1 no player has wagered on that hand; or
  • 8.8.2 all players wagering on that hand refuse to accept the cards.
• 8.9 The cards for the Player's Hand and the cards for the Banker's Hand shall not be passed out at the same time. Only one set of cards, either the Player's Hand or the Banker's Hand, shall be handled by the players at any one time.
• Method B
• 8.10 The dealer shall offer a marker denoting "Banker" to the seated players, starting with the player seated to the immediate right of the dealer.
• 8.11 If such player rejects the offer, the dealer shall offer the marker to each of the other seated players in turn counter clockwise around the table.
• 8.12 By accepting the marker, the player shall be required to place a wager on the Banker's Hand and to receive the cards dealt to the Banker's Hand.
• 8.13 The dealer shall pass the cards for the Banker's Hand face downwards to the player accepting the marker.
• 8.14 The dealer shall retain the cards for the Player's Hand.
• 8.15 When the Banker's Hand loses, the marker shall be offered counter
• clockwise around the table, starting to the immediate right of the last player accepting the marker.
• 8.16 A player who has accepted the marker may pass it after any coup.
• 8.17 In the event that no player accepts the marker, the coup shall be played in accordance with Method C.
• Method C
• 8.18 The dealer shall retain control of the cards for both the Player's Hand and the Banker's Hand and place them in the areas designated on the table layout.
• 8.19 Players shall not be permitted to handle the cards when the game is conducted in accordance with Method C.
• Method D
• 8.20 The dealer shall offer the shoe counter-clockwise commencing with the player in the lowest numbered seating position and who has placed a wager.
• 8.21 Should all players decline the shoe, the game shall be dealt in accordance with either ‘Method A’, ‘Method B’ or ‘Method C’.
• 8.22 For the purpose of dealing the cards, a player accepting the shoe:
  • 8.22.1 acts as ‘Banker’ playing the Banker’s Hand with the dealer playing the Player’s Hand; or
  • 8.22.2 with the prior approval of the casino supervisor, acts as ‘Player’ playing the Player’s Hand with the dealer playing the Banker’s Hand.
• 8.23 A player accepting the shoe shall retain control of the shoe until either the player elects to pass the shoe or the player’s wager loses or the player is directed by the casino supervisor to forfeit control of the shoe.
• 8.24 A player who accepts the shoe must only draw cards at the instruction of the dealer.
• 8.25 A casino supervisor may direct a player accepting the shoe to forfeit control of the shoe.
• 8.26 Marker buttons denoting ‘Player’ or ‘Banker’ shall be placed in front of the player accepting the shoe and shall denote the hand to be played by the player.
• Method E
• 8.27 At the commencement of each round of play coup, the dealer shall offer the shoe commencing with the player with the highest amount wagered on the area of the layout designated as ‘Banker’ or ‘Player’, moving to the next highest wager should that player decline the shoe, and so on until a player accepts the shoe. Should two or more players have wagers of an equal value, the shoe shall be offered to the player in the lowest numbered seating position.
• 8.28 Should all players decline the shoe, the game shall be dealt in accordance with ‘Method A’, ‘Method B’ or ‘Method C’.
• 8.29 For the purpose of dealing the cards, a player accepting the shoe:
  • 8.29.1 acts as ‘Banker’ playing the Banker’s Hand with the dealer playing the Player’s Hand; or
  • 8.29.2 with the prior approval of the casino supervisor, acts as ‘Player’ playing the Player’s Hand with the dealer playing the Banker’s Hand.
• 8.30 A player who accepts the shoe must only draw cards at the instruction of the dealer.
• 8.31 A casino supervisor may direct a player accepting the shoe to forfeit control of the shoe.
• 8.32 Marker buttons denoting ‘Player’ or ‘Banker’ shall be placed in front of the player accepting the shoe and shall denote the hand to be played by the player.

10. Dealing of Additional Cards

• 10.1 Following the announcement of the point counts of each hand, a third card shall be dealt to each hand if so required pursuant to rules 10.2 to 10.5 inclusive.
• 10.2 If the point count of the Player's Hand or the Banker's Hand after the initial four cards are dealt is 8 or 9, which is called a "natural", no more cards shall be dealt to either hand.
• 10.3 If the point count of the Banker's Hand is 0 to 7 inclusive after the initial four cards are dealt, the Player's Hand shall:
  • 10.3.1 draw (i.e. take a third card); or
  • 10.3.2 stand (i.e. not take a third card), in accordance with the requirements of Table 1 below.
• TABLE 1 : PLAYER’S HAND
  

  A player having a point count of:
  0-1-2-3-4-5	Draws a card
  6-7	Stands
  8-9	Has a natural and cannot draw

   

• 10.4 When the ‘Player's Hand’ draws, the ‘Banker's Hand’ shall:
  • 10.4.1 draw (i.e. take a third card), or
  • 10.4.2 stand (i.e. not take a third card), in accordance with the requirements of Table 2 below.
• TABLE 2 : BANKER’S HAND
  

  Third card drawn by Player's Hand
  Banker's Hand	No Card	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
  0	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
  1	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
  2	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
  3	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	S	D
  4	D	S	S	D	D	D	D	D	D	S	S
  5	D	S	S	S	S	D	D	D	D	S	S
  6	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	D	D	S	S
  7	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
  8	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
  9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

   

• 10.5 When the Player's Hand stands, the Banker's Hand shall draw a third card if the point count of the Banker's Hand is 0 to 5 inclusive.
• 10.6 Any third card required to be dealt to:
  • 10.6.1 the Player's Hand or the Banker's Hand under dealing Method A, Method D or Method E shall be:
    • 10.6.1.1 passed face downwards to the persons designated to receive the initial cards dealt to the respective hands for that coup; and
    • 10.6.1.2 the provisions of rules 8.9, 9.2 and 9.3 shall apply as if the third card were the initial two cards of the coup;
  • 10.6.2 the Player's Hand under dealing Method B shall be dealt face upwards;
  • 10.6.3 the Banker's Hand under dealing Method B shall be:
    • 10.6.3.1 passed face downwards to the person designated to receive the initial cards dealt to the hand for that coup; and 
    • 10.6.3.2 the provisions of rules 8.13, 9.2 and 9.3 shall apply as if the third card were the initial two cards of the coup.
  • 10.6.4 the Player's Hand or the Banker's Hand under dealing Method C shall be dealt face upwards.
• 10.7 In no event shall more than one additional card be dealt to either hand.
• 10.8 The dealer shall:
• 10.8.1 collect any additional cards dealt in accordance with rule 10 and place them face upwards on the area designated on the layout;
• 10.8.2 announce the final point count of each hand and the result of the coup.

11 Even Money Baccarat

• 11.1 Where the game in play is Even Money Baccarat the approved rules of Baccarat shall apply, except where the rules are inconsistent with the rules of Even Money Baccarat, in which case the rules of Even Money Baccarat shall prevail.

13. Irregularities

• 13.1 When a dealer, or designated player, misdeals cards to a hand, a reconstruction of the cards shall be attempted in order to comply with the dealing procedures of rule 7.3.
• 13.2 After a reconstruction has occurred and prior to any cards being exposed, each player shall have the option of removing his or her wager prior to the coup resuming provided that once a wager has been removed it cannot be replaced or remaining wagers either added to or reduced. If all wagers are removed, then the coup shall be declared void.
• 13.3 When a hand cannot be reconstructed, following a misdeal or where more than two cards are dealt to a hand on the initial deal, the coup shall be void.
• 13.4 A third card dealt to the Player's Hand when no third card is authorized by these rules shall become the third card of the Banker's Hand if the Banker's Hand is obliged to draw in accordance with Table 2 of rule 10. If, in such circumstances, the Banker's Hand is required to stand, the card dealt in error shall become the first card of the next coup.
• 13.5 If a card that would have been the first card of the next coup has been disclosed or is found face upwards in the shoe, that card shall become the first card of a no bet coup.
• 13.6 When a no bet coup arises, the cards shall be dealt in accordance with Method C, and no wagers shall be permitted.
• 13.7 If a card is found face upwards in the shoe after the first card of a coup has been dealt, the card shall be played as if it were found face downwards, subject to rule 13.5.
• 13.8 If there are found to be insufficient cards in the shoe to complete a hand that coup shall be void.

14. General Provisions

• 14.1 A person shall not, either alone or in concert with any other person, use or control at or near a gaming table or location related to the playing of a game a calculator, computer, or other electronic, electrical or mechanical apparatus or device that is capable, with respect to a game or a part thereof, of recording, projecting, analyzing or transmitting an outcome or the changing probabilities or the playing strategies to be used.
• 14.2 Rule 14.1 shall not apply to use or control by an agent or employee of the casino operator or an inspector where such person is acting in the course of their duty.
• 14.3 Where a casino supervisor is satisfied that a person has contravened any provision of rule 14.1, he/she may:
  • 14.3.1 declare that any wager made by the person is void;
  • 14.3.2 direct that the person shall be excluded from further participation in the game;
  • 14.3.3 exclude the person from the casino in line with the provisions of section 79 of the Act;
  • 14.3.4 cause the person(s) in possession of a prohibited device to be detained until such time as an inspector or a police officer has attended and assumed responsibility for the situation.
• 14.4 A casino supervisor may invalidate the outcome of a game if:
  • 14.4.1 the game is disrupted by civil commotion, fire, riot, brawl, robbery, an act of God; or
  • 14.4.2 any fraudulent act is perpetrated by any person that, in the opinion of the casino supervisor, affects the outcome of the game.
• 14.5 Where the outcome of a game is invalidated under rule 14.4, all wagers made by the players for that particular result may be refunded provided that a casino supervisor may direct that the wager of any player referred to in rule 14.4.2 be forfeited.
• 14.6 A player shall not be advised by an employee of the casino on how to play, except to ensure compliance with these rules.
• 14.7 No spectator or any player wagering at any table may, unless requested by a player, attempt to influence, influence or offer advice to that player regarding that player's decisions of play.
• 14.8 A casino supervisor may change the game in play (from or to Even Money Baccarat) providing that a sign indicating the game to be implemented and the proposed time of the change has been displayed at the table at least 20 minutes prior to the change or with the consent of all players participating in the current game.
• 14.9 A casino supervisor may close a gaming table at which players are present provided a sign showing the proposed time of closure has been displayed at the table for at least 20 minutes before the closure.
• 14.10 A player who abstains from placing any wagers for three consecutive rounds of play, while all other seats or positions at the table are in use, may be required to vacate his/her seat or position.
• 14.11 Players and spectators are not permitted to have side bets with or against each other.
• 14.12 Any dispute or complaint concerning a casino game shall be referred for decision in the first instance to a game supervisor, subject to a review (if requested) by a casino supervisor. The decision of the casino supervisor shall be final, subject to rule 14.13.
• 14.13 Complainants in all unresolved disputes shall be advised of the presence of, and their right to consult, an inspector. Where a complainant requests review of the decision by an inspector, the inspector shall investigate the complaint in accordance with section 110 of the Act.
• 14.14 A copy of these rules shall be made available for inspection upon request.