By Andrea Domanick, Las Vegas Sun

Millions of people come to Las Vegas every year hoping to win big at a casino table. But gambling isn’t the only way to cash in on casino games.

Anyone with an idea for a new table game can submit it to Nevada’s Gaming Control Board to be approved for lease to casinos. Though the majority of design pitches come from major gaming companies and professional game inventors, concepts from hobbyists and Averages Joes can and do end up on casino floors.

“Someone literally might come to us with a concept drawn out on paper; they can be that rudimentary,” said Jonné Brunette, an agent with the Gaming Control Board enforcement division, which handles table game submissions. “People have pitched anything under the sun. It is amazing what has been submitted to us.”

The enforcement division can’t divulge details about the ideas it receives because of confidentiality agreements, but the majority of pitches tend to be game variations, such as side wagers on existing games such as blackjack. Entirely new game concepts are more rare.

The board approves seven to 10 new games and about 50 game variations per year.

Read the whole story