Dogs not playing poker

One of my greatest triumphs and travails has been posting the print of dogs playing poker. I found a postcard of the print in the archives, so I figured I'd put it online. As a result, I get deluged by people seeking information on the copyright of the image, or wanting a high-rez scan. For example, 22 out of the past 42 people to visit this site by searching for a particular keyword were looking for some variant of "dogs playing poker" or "Coolidge dogs poker." I guess I've achieved my goal of making the Gaming Collection more accessible to the general public.

I've watched as the painting has taken a life of its own. The Sands in AC has upped the ante by recreating the classic painting, but with the dogs playing blackjack instead, a point that the journalist covering this "story" completely missed. From cnn.com:

Sands Casino Hotel workers used five live dogs to re-create artist C.M. Coolidge's famously lowbrow painting of dogs playing poker in a publicity stunt to drum up interest for a new table games pit.

"Sands Casino Hotel: Where the Big Dogs Play," read the sign in the pit, which has per-hand betting minimums of $500 on weekends. Built to lure high-stakes players, the pit features roulette wheels, a craps table and six blackjack tables.

The crowd parted to make way for dog handlers as they ushered in the animals -- dog "actors" who work in advertising, TV and movies -- on leashes.

The dogs, who remained seated through most of the hand, barked to ask for cards. It was on command from the handlers, of course.
Dogs gamble in Atlantic City

Strictly speaking, this was a recreation of Crosby DeMoss's A Friendly Game of Blackjack, not Coolidge's painting. Compare life with art:

Sands Dog BJ Canine "poker" at the Sands

Crosby DeMoss A Friendly Game of Blackjack at the Dunes

The AP reporter who contributed this little piece of news apparently had no idea that the dogs were, in fact, playing blackjack and not poker. The opening lines of the piece talked about the dogs hitting on 18 and 19 and busting.

I see a lot of this going on. "Let's see, we'll recreate a 'classic' painting, but have the dogs playing a different game, and no one will notice!" The sad thing is that no one at AP did notice.

I also have a regulatory question: is this a violation of New Jersey's underage gambling policies? I'm sure none of those dogs were over 21. Do age restrictions apply to non-humans as well? How about robots?

I think I can answer my own question by dredging up a memory of my time in CCTV. I remember one night a blind man was playing slots and brought his seeing-eye dog on the casino floor. The CCC inspector didn't kick up a fuss, so I guess it was legal. Everyone kept stepping on that poor dog's tail, though, perhaps indicating that, while canine gambling may make for whimsical art, it is hardly practical.
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posted by Dave at 8:45 AM

Thanks, I was looking for this to put in a "Poker" Basket, to be auctioned for a charity!

Dogs not playing poker

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