Blackjack Card Counting Leads to Ban from all Caesars Properties

Joe Stiers, professional poker player, who makes his living from poker tournaments and blackjack will probably miss this year's WSOP because he was banned from all Caesars’ properties for card counting.

Joe was asked to leave the Horseshoe Casino in the middle of the poker tournament that he paid to enter. After he was informed that he is not allowed to enter any Caesars property in the US, he realized that he won’t be able to participate in World Series of Poker. He told Baltimore Sun that when the security officials approached him, he got frustrated and started to yell, threatening that he will contact the media.

He reacted impulsively and even mentioned a potential lawsuit and made a scene. In the appeal, sent in February to the Horseshoe casino, Joe wrote that without WSOP he would have to find a new career.

Last month, Joe Stiers was informed by Horseshoe that his inappropriate conduct has led Caesars to ban him from their properties including Baltimore casino which will be the site of 12 –day WSOP circuit tournament. However, he has continued to receive casino’s promotional coupons worth hundreds of dollars although his Total Rewards account with Caesars is now deactivated.

Card counting at blackjack tables isn't prohibited by the state law or regulations in the United States but staff at a casino have right to refuse service to any customer. Players who count cards at blackjack table keep track of cards that have been played and because of that they can turn odds in their favor. Most casinos use multiple decks in order to prevent card counting but many people have trained their brains even though it is harder to count with multiple decks.

Joe explained that he will always count cards when playing the game because blackjack is a game of skill and card counting is inseparable part of it if you want to have better chance of winning.

Stiers has participated in many tournaments and he has over $500,000 in total live earnings. The ban really caught him unprepared because he wasn't aware that card counting can lead to him not being able to compete in the WSOP. His mother Janice Zalen has written a letter to the state gaming agency where she expressed her hopes that the current situation can be resolved before the WSOP and without lawyers.