After the initial boom, it was only a matter of time before the government changed the UK gambling regulations in 2002 to allow for the introduction of 3-card poker. After Webb had personally trained the dealers to run the game, it became a massive success in the casino, and other properties started to accept the game in their establishments. So they needed convincing before they would look into making any rule changes.Īfter unsuccessful pitches in Las Vegas, Reno, and Atlantic City, Derek eventually found a casino that would host the game – the Grand Casino Gulfport in Mississippi. The reason was that the UK had specific gambling regulations that restricted his ability to launch there. He wanted to develop a poker game that played at the same speed as the other popular casino table games but that incorporated aspects of poker.ĭespite being created in the UK, he was encouraged by the British Casino Association to market the game to US casinos first. It was created in 1994 by British inventor Derek Webb.
While most casino games like blackjack and roulette have a long and storied history, often dating back to the 18th/19th century, 3-card poker is a much more recent invention.