Baccarat, known as “Punto Banco” or “Chemin de Fer” in Europe, is one of the most popular casino games, especially in Asia. In Macau casinos, baccarat accounts for about 80% of all table games, and in 2019, baccarat accounted for 87.5% of total gaming sales.
The reason for this phenomenal popularity has to do with the fact that baccarat rules match the tastes of Japanese and Asian players who love to gamble.
Why Baccarat rules are so popular with Asians
The rules of baccarat are very simple; all a player has to do is decide which of the following three options to bet on.
It can be said to be a casino game where luck is the key to victory.
- Betting on the Banker
- Betting on the Player
- Betting on Tie
In fact, this simple rule of baccarat is a good fit with Asian gambling culture, which emphasizes intuition over strategy.
Also like baccarat, the two-choice game is one of the traditional forms of gambling used in Asian Japan. Already During the Edo period (17th to 19th century), gambling are became a popular form of entertainment for commoners.
Furthermore, in 2003, the Japanese period film “Zatoichi,” remade by Japanese film director Takeshi Kitano, shows scenes of people playing “Chohan Hakucho” and “Dice Gambling.
This type of gambling, which has traditionally been enjoyed in Japan, is a simple system similar to the rules of baccarat, which have long been used only to predict winners and losers.
You can check out the simple baccarat rules here.
Baccarat’s “Rule of Three” creates a perfect balance
In baccarat, the rules automatically determine whether the player or the banker “draws a third card”
Main rule for drawing the third card
- -Player’s initial total is 0-5 → Draw the third card
- Player’s initial total is 6 or 7 → draw a third card
- Banker decides whether to draw a third card based on the player’s situation
This “three-card rule” adds a moderate element of luck and strategy to the game, creating a balance that makes it “not just a game of luck.
Asian players instinctively tend to prefer this “balance of luck and calculation,” making baccarat an attractive game for them.
Three Psychological Factors that Asian Players Choose Baccarat game
1 The Relationship between “Belief in Fate” Culture and Baccarat
In Japan and Southeast Asia, “luck” and “feng shui” are strongly believed in daily life, and are also considered important factors that influence luck in gambling.
Baccarat is truly a game of “making luck your friend,” and the rules themselves are deeply connected to this culture.
Choosing whether the player or the banker wins can be seen as a choice of fate, and the rules of baccarat dictate whether cards are drawn or not.
The rules are favored by Asians, who love “luck” and “feng shui” as a pure test of luck without the need for the player to make a decision.
Winning tables often emphasize the “flow of luck” or believe in jinxes such as “the flow of luck changes with the change of dealers” when playing.
2️ Affinity for “simple choices
Rather than thinking strategically, you just intuitively choose whether to be a player or a banker.
With fewer choices, the tempo of the game is fast and decisions are simple.
The time of one round is short and speedy. Asian players tend to say, “The faster the tempo of the game, the more exciting it is,” which is the reason why baccarat is gaining popularity.
3️ “Ease of Winning” and “Low House Edge”
The win rate for banker wagers is said to be 50.68%, which is considered more favorable to players than other casino games.
The house edge (deduction rate) is lower than other games, making it easier for players to play for longer periods of time.
For example, the red-black bet on roulette (European) is 2.7%, making baccarat a harder game for players to lose at than roulette over a longer period of time.
Furthermore, while roulette is independent of each bet, baccarat is also a game where players can “read the flow” of the game.
Statistics show the overwhelming popularity of Baccarat
The data clearly shows that baccarat is the most played game in Asia. 53% of casino revenue in Asia comes from baccarat, compared to 37% in North America and 9% in Europe.
These data make it clear why baccarat is the “casino high road” for Asians
Baccarat’s simple yet perfectly balanced gaming rules and the ability to accumulate winnings at a rapid pace are also reasons for its strong popularity among Asian players.
✅ Simple, intuitive betting rules
✅ Balance of calculation with a moderate luck factor
✅ Low house edge and easy risk management
✅ Fits the values of Asians, who are more concerned with testing their luck and winning
Baccarat is not just a casino game, but a game rooted in Asian culture and player psychology, and it is this simple baccarat rule that has created its overwhelming popularity.