Avoid These Common Pitfalls When Inventing Your Table Game!
It would be a dream come true for many avid table game inventors to see their games placed in the glistering casinos. It not only generates a great sense of pride but also a paycheck. But many table game inventors jump into this endeavor feet first without realizing what it takes. Today, we will review the four common pitfalls new table game inventors should avoid.
Pitfall #1 – Underestimation of Time, Effort, and Money Commitment
Many table game inventors kicked things off without the necessary research. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to move your game from the kitchen table to the Wynns and Bellagio’s of this world. It takes a lot of time to design the layout and graphics, fine-tune the math, get government approvals, find the Field Trial casinos, and then market it right through the various channels. It’s common to take years to jump through all the hoops and expect unexpected changes along the ride, for example, COVID-19 shutdowns, capacity restrictions, or leadership changes at your desired casino. Many inventors also start the process with a super low budget, but the reality is that pushing a new game to success could be prohibitively expensive. To start with, an independent mathematician charges around $1k to $5k to help you prepare for the official testing by GLI or BMM, which charges around $5k to $10k for a full game, and $3-5k for a side bet. Then the patent filing, layout and graphics design and printing would easily cost another $15k. Inventors may also incur high traveling and marketing expenses in landing a trial, and the gaming control boards charge at least $3k to review your application. More valuable services like digital marketing and on-site dealer training are also important to success, but they are not cheap either. It’s probably safe to say no game inventor has succeeded with spending less than $50k to $100k before seeing any rewards.
Pitfall #2 – The Game is Too Complicated
New games are tough to explain to casino decision makers and tougher for dealers to deal correctly. The casino industry is known for its fast pace, so if a game can’t be pitched successfully to a decision maker in 30 seconds and allows the dealer to explain to a new player in 30 seconds, it is almost sure to fail. Complicated games are usually played slowly because of procedures with dealers checking pay tables regularly, but casinos want more hands-per-hour, hence generally shun away from slow complex games. Players also generally don’t want to risk money on games they have a tough time understanding. Then how to solve this?
First, practice explaining the game in a clear and concise way in 15-30 seconds. If you the inventor can’t, no one else can and likely the game is too complex. Secondly, try to link it to an existing game that players already know. For example, Free Bet Blackjack is similar to blackjack but you get to double and split for free. Lastly, if something is too complex, always be willing to change when you receive feedback. Three Card Poker, maybe the most successful carnival game, went through multiple versions before settling on its current form.
Pitfall #3 - Custom Equipment or Cards
Introducing custom equipment or cards is probably the biggest no-no for game inventors. The casino industry is known for its inertia, and no casino wants to pay for equipment that have to be constantly replaced, like cards or dice, and casinos refuse to spend money on expensive equipment just to add one more game. Plus, the gaming commissions are notorious for their heavy scrutiny on any new gaming device and charge higher administrative fees. The one thing custom equipment is good for is it is easier to patent.
Pitfall #4 - Dealers Not Dealing the Game Properly
How well the dealers deal your game during the Field Trail can make or break the whole thing. If the game is fun and the training is well-conducted, the dealer might be more willing and capable to explain to potential players when asked questions. How well the dealers like your game or you personally could also mean a lot, if they like the game, they might become champions of your game, but if they don’t like the game or the inventor, they can bad mouth it to the players to ruin all your efforts. That is why the initial training is so important as well as secret shoppers and post-training.
Being a successful table game inventor is a tough but rewarding journey. We hope you find this video helpful and please know that Vegas Aces is always here to help increase your odds.