§ 659a.5. Shuffle and cut of the cards; procedures for determining the starting position for dealing cards.
(a) Immediately prior to commencement of play, unless the cards were preshuffled in accordance with § 603a.16(u) or (v) (relating to cards; receipt, storage, inspection and removal from use), after each round of play has been completed or when directed by the floorperson or above, the dealer shall shuffle the cards, either manually or by use of an automated card shuffling device, so that the cards are randomly intermixed. Upon completion of the shuffle, the dealer or device shall place the deck of cards in a single stack provided, however, that the certificate holder may use an automated card shuffling device which, upon completion of the shuffling of the cards, inserts the stack of cards directly into a dealing shoe.
(b) After the cards have been shuffled and stacked, the dealer shall:
(1) If the cards were shuffled using an automated card shuffling device, determine the starting position in accordance with subsection (g), then deal the cards in accordance with § 659a.8, § 659a.9 or § 659a.10 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from a manual dealing shoe; procedures for dealing the cards from the hand; and procedures for dealing the cards from an automated dealing shoe).
(2) If the cards were shuffled manually or were preshuffled, cut the cards in accordance with subsection (c).
(c) If a cut of the cards is required, the dealer shall place the cover card in the stack at least ten cards in from the top of the stack. Once the cover card has been inserted, the dealer shall take all cards above the cover card and the cover card and place them on the bottom of the stack. The stack of cards shall then be inserted into the dealing shoe for commencement of play. The dealer shall then determine the starting position in accordance with subsection (g), and deal the cards in accordance with § 659a.8, § 659a.9 or § 659a.10.
(d) After the cards have been cut and before any cards have been dealt, a floorperson or above may require the cards to be recut if the floorperson determines that the cut was performed improperly or in any way that might affect the integrity or fairness of the game.
(e) If there is no gaming activity at a Fortune Asia Poker table which is open for gaming, the cards shall be removed from the dealing shoe and discard rack and spread out on the table face down unless a player requests that the cards be spread face up on the table. After the first player arriving at the table is afforded an opportunity to visually inspect the cards, the procedures in § 659a.4(c) (relating to opening of the table for gaming) and this section shall be completed.
(f) A certificate holder may utilize a dealing shoe or other device designed to automatically reshuffle the cards provided that the device is submitted and approved in accordance with § 461a.4 (relating to submission for testing and approval) prior to its use in the licensed facility. If a certificate holder is utilizing the approved device, subsections (c)—(e) do not apply.
(g) To determine the starting position for the dealing of cards, the certificate holder shall use one of the following:
(1) A shaker in accordance with the following procedures:
(i) The dealer shall shake the shaker at least three times to cause a random mixture of the dice.
(ii) The dealer shall then remove the lid covering the dice and place the uncovered shaker on the designated area of the table layout. The dealer shall then total the dice and announce the total.
(iii) To determine the starting position, the dealer shall count each betting position in order, regardless of whether there is a wager at the betting position, beginning with the dealer as number one and continuing around the table in a counterclockwise manner, until the count matches the total of the three dice.
(iv) After the dealing procedures required under § 659a.8, § 659a.9 or § 659a.10 have been completed, the dealer shall place the cover on the shaker and shake the shaker once. The shaker shall then be placed to the right of the dealer.
(2) A computerized random number generator to select and display a number from 1 to 7. To determine the starting position, the dealer shall count each betting position in order, regardless of whether there is a wager at the betting position, beginning with the dealer as number one and continuing around the table in a counterclockwise manner, until the count matches the number displayed by the random number generator.
(h) After the starting position for a round of play has been determined, a certificate holder may mark that position with an additional cover card or similar object approved by the Bureau of Gaming Operations.
Authority The provisions of this § 659a.5 amended under 4 Pa.C.S. § § 1202(b)(30) and 13A02(1) and (2).
Source The provisions of this § 659a.5 amended October 7, 2016, effective October 8, 2016, 46 Pa.B. 6300. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (370592) to (370594).
Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 659a.4 (relating to opening of the table for gaming); 58 Pa. Code § 659a.8 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from a manual dealing shoe); 58 Pa. Code § 659a.9 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from the hand); and 58 Pa. Code § 659a.10 (relating to procedures for dealing the cards from an automated dealing shoe).
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