It’s official. The world is gizmo-gadget obsessed. Even in gambling. I reckon it stands to reason that if you grow up in the digital age where everything is virtual and everyone has a password like they have a cellphone, it only stands to reason that, like newspapers before them, poker tables are rapidly going the way of the doo-doo. The Pokermate Table not only gives players touchscreen interfaces to use for game play and betting, it’s also yet another guard against card counters who seek a legal, but wholely frowned upon gaming advantage.

The idea comes from the fact that more and more gamblers are learning the game from online casinos, and as such, simply are more used to playing the game virtually than holding a pair of aces and eights in their hand. There’s a main screen for everyone to keep track of the game from a bird’s eye view. It also calculates pots (and side pots) and rake, and keeps track of everyone’s chips — all without error. And the interface even automatically deals players their virtual cards and players just tap on the corners of the hand to reveal the cards.

But seriously, aside from winning virtual pots that credit your account, where’s the fun? Where’s the excitement of holding that one card short of a flush and drawing that card you need and actually holding it? The feel of the wax, staring intently at your opponents face over their hand as you desperately try and crack their tell? And where’s the fun of not being able to toss in your chips or sliding a gigantic pile into the center as you go all in? It’s kinda spoiling the fun like electronic slots ruined the whole jackpot experience.

It may go a long way towards catching cheaters, but this gizmo doesn’t sound like fun to me.

Hat Tip - D’Vice