New digital craps game comes to the Strip at Harrah’s

One of Las Vegas’ most popular — and, for some, confusing — games is getting a facelift.

A new craps game at Harrah’s Las Vegas, Roll to Win Craps from Aruze Gaming America Inc., combines the traditional dice game with a large LED screen and electronic bets. Animations and audio features add to the excitement and are meant to make the game more appealing to novice players.

“Having the entire field made of LEDs allows us to do things that traditional tables simply can’t do,” Aruze President Rob Ziems said. “The reaction has been very positive, and we’ve heard the table has frequently been full.”

The hybrid unit at Harrah’s went live Monday, the first of its kind in Nevada.

The upgraded table announces each stage of the game and shows the number of rolls as a series progresses. When there’s a hot shooter, animated flames dance across the screens. The area below the dealer is also equipped with an LED screen that can show game information and advertisements for the casino.

Players can place their bets privately on their personal screen, and each station accepts cash and provides tickets.

“We anticipate our guests will gravitate towards the game’s approachability and exciting features,” Harrah’s general manager Dan Walsh said in a statement.

The game was designed with new players in mind, with each station offering an “easy help” feature that shares bet details such as the odds and when bets can be placed.

The game also offers simple bet placements and the ability to quickly turn multiple bets on or off.

“All table games can be a little intimidating for new players, and craps is one of the most complex,” Ziems said. “By letting players learn at their own pace, we are helping a new generation of players discover how exciting a great craps roll can be.”

New players welcome

Ziems said the company didn’t anticipate a global pandemic when designing the game, but its design helps keep both players and dealers safe by limiting touchpoints.

The LED panels eliminate the need for physical chips by showing virtual counterparts, and dealers are not required to handle chips or cash. The player stations and table can be easily wiped down and sanitized, and each game has been outfitted with plexiglass dividers.

“Only the dice are handled by both players and dealers,” Ziems said.

Craps is one of the most popular games in Nevada, with more than 300 units in 95 locations across the state as of December, according to the latest revenue report from the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Those numbers are set to see a boost in the spring, with Aruze planning several installations in other Las Vegas properties.

“These early installations will all be field trials, required for regulatory reasons,” Ziems said. “Once those are complete, we plan to install in every location with craps games. Our goal is to get Roll To Win Craps in every casino that allows craps.”