Tracking system spots card counters

A Dundee University graduate has developed a system that has the potential to make the game of Blackjack fairer by detecting card counters and dealer errors.

Kris Zutis developed the system, which uses complex algorithms to analyse information captured by cameras set up in casinos, as the final-year project of his Applied Computing degree, working closely with staff from Dundee's Gala Casino.

Card counting is a method of tracking the cards dealt to manipulate the player's odds of winning in their favour. To counter that, Zutis's software analyses the correlation between the player's betting patterns and the game card count to determine the likelihood that a player is card counting. Upon positive identification of a card counter, the software alerts the casino staff.

While the card counting strategy is not illegal, casinos will move suspected card counters to a new table, where the counters are forced to start afresh or eject them.

The Blackjack tracking system devised by Kris, with guidance from his project supervisor Dr Jesse Hoey, also has the ability to detect errors by monitoring dealers' actions made during the game and ascertaining whether or not the correct action was taken.