Some players who visited the newly opened MGM National Harbor left a bit frustrated if they played the blackjack tables. Hitting blackjack at the at the new casino on a $25 bet left players earning $30 instead of $37.50, as the casino has chosen to up their advantage for the game and provide players with lower blackjack payouts. As many hands of blackjack are played per hour, the small difference can add up quickly for the gaming venue.

A new regulatory option in Maryland allows casino to have more choice as to what they will provide by way of payouts and wagers for games such as blackjack, poker, roulette and more. The new regulations reportedly cut down the bureaucratic process and allows gaming venues to offer more products, including reduced payouts for the lower minimum bets, such gaming options that will appeal to the budget-friendly gambler.

Players quickly picked up the fact that the MGM National Harbor was offering a lower payout and gamblers from the blackjack tables decided to complain online via forums. While the MGM is one that is offering the 6-5 payouts, there are casinos that still keep the higher payouts at the blackjack tables in fear of losing customers. Hollywood Casino Perryville, Maryland Live and Rocky Gap all still provide the 3-2 higher payout.

Gaming USA Corp. President, Alan Woinski was quoted in the Baltimore Sun stating that he felt that Maryland was wrong in messing with the rules in the way that they did. Woinski believes that such rules should be uniform.

The rules for table games were set in regulations in the past but the commission repealed most of the rules earlier in 2016. Casinos now must adopt standard rules that are used for table games and then any changes had to be approved by the agency’s staff. The process involved in approving change could take several months.

The commission has now added the 6-5 payout option when changes were made creating the new procedure for rule-making. This process now removes the unnecessary steps, according to the managing director of gaming for the state agency, Charles LaBoy. The commission stated they wish to provide casinos with tools that will react to the changes made in the market.

According to officials of the state, the regulations that are in place to safeguard security as well as integrity of the games on the casino floor are still intact. Any changes to such rules will be subject to a review process.

Kara Rutkin, a spokeswoman for the MGM National Harbor stated that officials of the gaming venue have declined to make comment on the payouts at the blackjack tables. The casino does still offer 3-2 odds tables.