With an idea similar to the Touchbet Roulette/Virtual Roulette tables that crowd UK casinos and have also entered the US market, someone has come up with the cute idea of making a 'virtual' poker table.

LA's Hollywood Park Casino opened its first 'e-poker room' recently offering players the chance to sit in front of monitors and a virtual poker table. As with the roulette tables, a card is swiped into the system to create your 'wallet'.

Currently the play is for those who prefer their poker safe - low limits, sit and go games and small buy-ins - and like the roulette tables, probably loads of fun when it hits the small hours of the night

The electronic tables require no dealers, as the players select all their actions via the touch screen in front of them. The system even takes away from a floorperson's job, as there is a kiosk where you can put yourself on a waiting list for a table. All of this is handled via an ID card, which has a magnetic stripe similar to a credit card. The card holds all your personal data, and you can keep a cash balance on it, so when you sit down at the table, your "chips" are immediately in front of you.

The play of the tables was smooth. Actions are clearly displayed, and its very simple to use. Although the tables cannot be linked at this time, there is supposedly a software update coming in early 2007 that will allow the tables to be linked for multi-table tournament play

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From Real Life Online Poker-huh? via Online Poker and Live Poker Meet: The 'ePoker Room' is Here