It appears that there are some blackjack changes coming to Mirage, which will eventually be rebranded to Hard Rock.
There are some major changes discussed here. One item noticeably absent is the status of 6:5 games. At last check, all blackjack tables under $25 at Mirage pay 6:5. These are mostly at tables by the casino cage and sportsbook. The 3:2 blackjack tables are in the pit by the high-limit salon.
Two changes appear to be coming to Mirage double-deck blackjack
The document in the tweet above discusses two big downgrades for the last double-deck blackjack game dealt at Mirage. In our last survey, Mirage still had a double-deck game where the dealer stands on soft 17. Players could double down before and after splitting, as well as split all pairs, except aces, up to four hands.
The new information shows that this game will hit soft 17 in the near future if it does not already. It will also only permit splitting once for all pairs. These changes roughly double the house edge of the game. The Wizard of Odds Blackjack House Edge Calculator shows the legacy rules have a 0.25% house edge when a cut card is used, which this game does. It goes to 0.5% with the new rules.
I am not aware of any live blackjack games in Las Vegas that only permit splitting once. This rule is somewhat common in Pennsylvania, where nearly all blackjack rules are codified. The number of splits allowed is the only rule change Pennsylvania casinos may alter.
Based on what I have seen at other Hard Rock casinos, the double-deck changes were predictable. Double-deck blackjack is not a common game within the company. When it deals double-deck, it has at least one unfavorable rule, like only being permitted to double down on 10 and 11 or not after splitting. Double-deck blackjack is vulnerable to counting, so a conservative approach to dealing it is common.
One change is coming to six-deck blackjack
According to the document, re-splitting aces is going away at Mirage blackjack tables outside of the high-limit salon. I concluded this because the salon rules specifically note that aces may be re-split up to four hands. That note is omitted from the casino floor rules.
Players at six-deck blackjack games could re-split aces up to four hands at all 3:2 six-deck tables under the old rules. This is followed by all MGM Resorts casinos in Las Vegas. That company is the former owner of Mirage. Removing re-split aces from the rules adds about 0.08% to the house edge.
Several independent Las Vegas Strip casinos, like Treasure Island, Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn, and Encore, also permit re-split aces at all 3:2 shoe games. Most Caesars casinos in Las Vegas do not permit re-split aces at any blackjack games. Caesars Palace is one exception, where it is allowed at shoes in the salon.
Hard Rock casinos in other markets often do not permit re-splitting aces. In hindsight, this move was just as predictable as the double-deck changes. Allowing re-split aces in the salon helps it compete with its neighbors for higher-limit players while taking a little more from the lower-limit games where there is much less competition at the 3:2 payout.
Bet limit changes
The document shows that unrated players will be restricted to one hand of up to 10 times the posted minimum bet. Rated players may be dealt up to three hands. A rated player is clocked in with a casino card. The unrated player is unknown to the house.
This is a game protection policy. Many casinos have something similar. It prevents players from walking in unknown and hitting the house for a massive win at a vulnerable game, like double-deck blackjack. I would not read much into this, though it may be a tell about the loss tolerance the new owners have.
How do the reported changes at Mirage/Hard Rock compare to competing casinos?
The legacy double-deck game at Mirage that stands on soft 17 is dealt by most MGM Resorts casinos in Las Vegas. It is also found in the salon at Treasure Island. It is the best blackjack game in Las Vegas in terms of the house edge.
Making it hit soft 17, and removing all re-splits from the game, makes it worse than the $15 Treasure Island double-deck game by 0.10%. However, it is still better than the double-deck blackjack games found at most Caesars casinos, as well as the Boyd Gaming properties in downtown Las Vegas.
It is hard to compare the floor blackjack game without knowing what the minimum bet will be. If it stays $25, then losing re-split aces is not a big deal. It is better than anything you will find for $25 at within a standard walking distance, except Treasure Island. You will be able to find a few MGM casinos with slightly better $25 six-deck blackjack games.
I have been unable to independently verify the authenticity of the document in the tweet. Based on what I know about the topic, I have no reason to doubt its accuracy. I did not find a way to contact Mirage for comment.
Thank you to @PrettyDece for making sure I saw the details. I may have missed it since it was tweeted in the middle of the night.
