I asked gambling expert Anthony Curtis about the blackjack iPhone app that gaming regulators warned casinos to be on the lookout for. Despite having significantly greater knowledge than I, including being someone who can actually count cards (many say they can, but I actually have watched Curtis do it in a Vegas casino), Curtis concluded as I did that this device is more likely to get a weekend warrior in a whole mess of trouble than allow him to beat the dealer. Curtis offered the Buffet this summary of a post he has written on the new app on his Las Vegas Advisor site:

"1) The iPhone app is not the road to riches playing blackjack. It can yield a slight player advantage if used perfectly, but most who try won't be able to. And those who can use it to their advantage will have difficulty playing for any length of time without being discovered.

2) The iPhone app is not a danger to casinos (see #1). A California casino may have encountered players trying to use the app, but reports of big losses are likely apocryphal.

3) Those who try to use the app at the tables risk severe repercussions, including the possibility of jail. Those who unwittingly use a cell phone at the tables may attract casino scrutiny."