Why did they remove Blackjack from the Casino Filipinos in Manila?

jj192328 asked:
Of the four different casinos that we’ve visited in Manila, none of
them offered Blackjack. Blackjack has been replaced with Pontoon.
These casinos used to have 3-4 blackjack tables but not anymore.

Answer

There could be various reasons why Blackjack was removed from the Casino Filipinos in Manila. One possible reason is that the casino management found that Pontoon was more popular among players and provided better revenue for the casino. Another reason could be related to the government regulations on gambling and the types of games that are allowed to be offered in casinos. It is also possible that the casino faced some issues related to licensing and compliance with regulations, which led to changes in the games offered. Ultimately, the decision to remove Blackjack and replace it with Pontoon would have been based on a combination of factors, including player preferences, revenue generation, and regulatory compliance.

Blackjack compared to Pontoon

There are significant differences between Blackjack and Pontoon, even though they are both popular casino card games.

In Blackjack, the objective of the game is to beat the dealer by having a hand that is closer to 21 without going over. The game is typically played with one or more standard decks of cards, and there are strict rules regarding when players can hit, stand, double down, or split their hands.

On the other hand, in Pontoon, the objective is also to beat the dealer, but the value of the cards is slightly different. For example, an Ace can count as either 1 or 11, and a hand with five cards that total 21 or less is considered to be the second highest hand after a Pontoon (a hand consisting of an Ace and a 10-point card). Pontoon is typically played with a deck of 52 cards, and players can also choose to double down or split their hands.

Overall, while both games share some similarities, there are enough differences in the rules and gameplay to make them distinct from each other. Some players may prefer the more straightforward gameplay of Blackjack, while others may enjoy the added complexity and different scoring system of Pontoon.