Everyone wants an edge when they hit the tables at the casino. Whether you are online or offline, playing in Las Vegas, or sat at home in front of the television, there are tools and gadgets that can improve your mood, atmosphere, concentration, and technique.
We’ve scoured the Internet, quizzed a few pros, and have found some of the latest technology; fresh from CES 2020 in Las Vegas: the annual global stage for innovation, produced by the Consumer Technology Association. From robotic dogs and interactive clothing, to eye-wateringly expensive wristwatches and the Babel Fish, here is our handy guide to the top ten ‘must have’ casino gadgets. In no particular order:
1. Dodow – Sleep Perchance to Play
If you take your table action seriously, you already know the value of a good night’s sleep. If you’re playing the perfect blackjack game or trying to spot that Poker players tell, you need your wits about you.
The Dodow is an innovative night light that helps insomniacs enter the land of Nod by projecting a slowly pulsing blue light on the ceiling. Breathe along with the light and your days of counting sheep are over.
Doze Off with the Dodow
2. Yo Yo Chipolo
Although a Chipolo might sound like a Mexican betting chip, or a dried red chilli, it is – in fact – a very clever gadget that stops you losing the things you love. Chipolo started with a Kickstarter campaign in 2013 and is now available in more than 200 countries.
It’s basically a trackable chip or card shaped object that you can slip inside your wallet or attach to a key fob. Lost your phone or wallet at the casino? Chipolo will reunite you.
3. Time Marches On
Wandering around a casino floor, carrying a laptop, will definitely raise eyebrows in Las Vegas. Fortunately, the smart watch has come a long way in recent years; the design, function, and battery-life have all improved making the wrist-borne computer a reality. Need to check those Premier League betting odds in the middle of a winning craps run? Now you can. There are plenty of contenders to choose from.
4. Aural Delights
The first headphones were invented more than 100 years ago. Since then, they have got smaller, more accurate, and now: the wires have disappeared. At the CES 2020, earbud manufacturers Jabra showcased their new award-winning Elite Active 75 wireless earbuds. Waterproof, wireless, and with a 7.5 hour battery life, these $200 cans are in a class of their own (and sure to help you stay focussed during that long session at the Poker table!). Also putting in an impressive display was Apple, with its constantly evolving AirPods Pro. Aural delights all round.
5. Home Alone?
You’re at the casino. It’s late. The chips are down. The Roulette wheel is spinning. The last thing you need to worry about is your home security. In these online times, people forget that those selfies from the casino, tell the world you are not at home.
The Arlo Ultra is the latest addition to the Arlo range of security cameras. It streams and records in high definition 4K and features motion tracking, colour night vision, automatic zooming, a spotlight, siren, a 180-degree field of vision, and one-click 999 connectivity. Impressive (unless you’re a burglar!).
6. Whineless Wine
For the at-home sommelier who enjoys a perfectly decanted Chateauneuf du Pape, as he or she gets set for an evening at the baccarat table, we have – perhaps – the craziest new gadget to hit the foodie fad market.
The iFavine iSommelier Pro instantly oxygenates wine; a process that normally takes several hours. The device is connected to an app which can advise on the perfect decantation of your wine. At a cost of nearly £2,000, it’s probably not an essential gadget, if your idea of a nice red is one that costs more than a tenner from the garage.
7. Manna From Heaven
You’ll need some nibbles to go with that wine and start-up Manna has the answer. The Irish drone business has just signed a deal with a 5G company to deliver food to your home via drone. Not strictly a gadget but… Manna from Heaven that looks suspiciously like a bucket of fried chicken? Yes, please…
8. Mug Shots
You’ve had your perfectly decanted wine. Dinner by drone was delicious. Now, it’s time for coffee. It can be easy to lose track of time, if you are enjoying a session on the online slots. You grab your coffee and its stone cold. Not any more. The Ember Mug will maintain the temperature of your coffee for up to 1.5 hours. It also alerts you when your coffee has cooled and reached the perfect temperature to drink.
9. Babel Fish?
When items listed in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy become reality, you know the future has arrived. The Pocketalk is a two-way voice interpreter that works in more than 130 countries and speaks 74 languages. Fancy swapping the casinos of Las Vegas for Macau this year? Now you can.
#10. Denim Returns
The glorious days of denim are set to return. Levis have teamed up with Jacquard by Google to create a classic blue denim Trucker Jacket with a difference. Tap and swipe the cuff of the left sleeve to answer calls, play music, and take photos. Perfect for those discrete moves at the casino.
