Golden Gate Becomes the First Las Vegas Casino to Ditch Live Dealers — and Doubles Its Revenue

Las Vegas’s Golden Gate Casino has completely eliminated live dealers, replacing them with electronic gaming tables, Daily Mail reports. The move makes one of the city’s oldest casinos the first in downtown Las Vegas where all table games are operated by automated systems.

Derek Stevens, owner of Golden Gate and Circa Resort & Casino, said the shift to a fully digital format is part of the company’s “The Night Starts Here” campaign, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The campaign aims to rebrand the casino as a place “where the night begins,” combining modern technology, music, lighting, and digital entertainment to attract a younger audience.

According to Stevens, the change has already outperformed expectations — revenue from electronic games has roughly doubled projections.

He added that former dealers will have opportunities to move into other roles within Circa Hospitality Group hotels and resorts.

Reactions among guests have been mixed. Cory and Victoria Burke, tourists from Michigan, said they prefer live interaction and aren’t sure the digital format can replicate the same atmosphere: “We’re not sure how to feel about it. We’ve noticed more casinos experimenting with digital tables — it’s a little unusual,” they told reporters.

Others, like Christian and Rosie Heneghan from Florida, welcomed the change: “We miss old Vegas, but we’re open to the new. This upgrade could open the doors for a younger generation.”

Electronic gaming tables replicate classic casino games in a digital format. Instead of a live dealer, gameplay is managed by software, and players place bets via touchscreen.

Some setups still feature a live dealer streamed in real time, while others are fully automated, with outcomes generated by computer. In hybrid versions, the game is displayed on a large screen, and players place bets from individual stations.

According to Market Statsville Group, the U.S. market for electronic table games is expected to grow from $2.7 billion in 2024 to $4.9 billion by 2033.