Google Glass in casinos? Don't bet on it

Eyeglasses that would let users snap a photo or shoot a video with a slight head movement are being banned in gambling establishments across the U.S.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin wearing Google Glass.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)

It's looking like gamblers aren't going to be able to use Google Glass to enhance their poker face.

Even though the high-tech eyewear has not yet been released to the general public, casinos across the U.S. are banning Google Glass, according to the Associated Press.

Taking photos or videos is strictly prohibited in most all casinos, so it makes sense that a gadget touted as being able to record a video with a slight head movement or snap a photo with the wink of an eye wouldn't be allowed.

According to the Associated Press, casinos in New Jersey, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Connecticut, and other states have banned Google Glass because they say it could help players cheat at card games.

"If these eyeglasses were worn during a poker game, they could be used to broadcast a patron's hand to a confederate or otherwise be used in a collusive manner," the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement director David Rebuck wrote in a memo to the state's casinos, according to the Associated Press.

"Even if the glasses had not been used for cheating... their presence at a gaming table would lead to the perception that something untoward could be occurring, thereby undermining public confidence in the integrity of gaming," he continued.

Casinos aren't the only places banning Google's augmented reality eyeglasses. West Virginia lawmakers are working on a bill that would prohibit drivers from wearing Google Glass while on the road and even a bar in Seattle has announced that it's a Glass-free zone. (source: cnet)