Golden Gate Casino Fully Eliminates Human Dealers for Electronic Machines

Las Vegas’ oldest casino is embracing the future.

As America’s gambling capital continues to cope with a general decline in tourism and visitation, impacting its casinos, The Golden Gate Casino completely cleared out its live dealers and replaced them with electronic options. That means the casino floor is now entirely digital.

The process has taken a while to complete, but it follows the industry trend of electronic dealers replacing real humans.

Out with the old

The Golden Gate first opened in 1906. Co-owner Derek Stevens said that the sharp deviation from the casino’s rich history began during COVID but only recently gained media attention.

Stevens, who also owns Circa Sports, said that Circa Resort has found great success using digital dealers as its casino. That success, combined with the modern climate, emboldened him to fully embrace the digital revolution at the famed gambling den.

“It's about double what our projections were, so we feel pretty happy about it,” Stevens said while discussing revenue at Circa Resort once human dealers were replaced.

As part of the change, The Golden Gate has unveiled a new “The Night Starts Here” advertising campaign designed to attract younger gamblers who grew up in the digital era. The campaign shows off the casino’s modernity and general vibe, highlighted by the glowing lights from the digital machines.

With the change completed, The Golden Gate is the first hotel in downtown Las Vegas to completely eliminate human dealers and fill their vacancies with electronic replacements.

“We've always embraced the future, and now we're reimagining our casino floor with a high-energy electronic table games pit unlike anything downtown has seen,” Stevens previously said.

Thoughts and opinions

According to projections from industry experts, electronic table games will grow to generate $4.9 billion annually by 2033, an enormous improvement on last year’s total of $2.7 billion. 

Owners such as Stevens who champion electronic machines suggest they increase efficiency and accuracy, reduce operating cost, and add more floor space. They also require lower minimum wagers, making them more accessible to the general crowd.

Additionally, there’s a belief that consumers are more comfortable in “private” in front of a screen instead of locking eyes with a stranger with the pressure of potentially high-stakes gambling weighing on them.

Anyone who was affected by the lay-offs at Golden Gate was offered positions at Stevens’ other casinos, including Circa and The D.

The public reaction to the switch to electronic dealers has been mixed. Customers who preferred the older method largely speak to the tradition and heritage of Las Vegas, while those who are ready to embrace the new machines believe they offer swifter service.