Quick answer: Crown Perth deals blackjack from 8 decks, pays 3:2 and lets you double on hard 9, 10 or 11 only. There is no hole card and a dealer blackjack takes your doubles and splits too. Whether the dealer hits soft 17 depends on the table layout, so read the felt before you sit down.
We read the full Crown Perth rule set for Blackjack, Blackjack Plus and Tournament Blackjack, approved under section 22 of the Casino Control Act 1984 (WA) and last updated on 18 May 2026 (amendments RAG601 and RAG614). Perth has a few rules you will not find in Melbourne or Sydney. Some help you. One costs you on every double.
The core rules at a glance
- Decks: 8 decks from a shoe. Tables with an automatic shuffler can use up to 8 decks (the number is shown on the machine). Crown Pairs tables may use 4, 6 or 8 decks.
- No hole card: the dealer takes one card, then draws the second after all players finish.
- Blackjack pays 3:2. Insurance pays 2:1 and can be up to half your bet.
- Doubling: only on a hard 9, 10 or 11 on your first two cards, or the first two cards of a split hand. No soft doubles (so no doubling A-7 against a 6).
- Splitting: up to three hands per betting area. Aces can be resplit if another ace arrives, but each ace gets one card only.
- Up to three players can bet on the same box. The seated player makes the decisions.
Soft 17: check the layout number
This is the rule most players miss in Perth. The rules list 14 approved table layouts:
- Layouts 1 to 8: the dealer draws until reaching a hard or soft 17, so the dealer stands on soft 17.
- Layouts 9 to 14: the dealer draws until a hard 17 or a soft 18, so the dealer hits soft 17.
Hitting soft 17 adds about 0.22% to the house edge. You cannot see a layout number on the felt, but the table sign or the printing on the layout tells you which rule is in force. If it does not, ask the dealer before you buy in.
What a dealer blackjack takes
We traced three clauses together. The main bet loses to a dealer blackjack (rule 3.13), a double loses whenever its main bet loses (rule 3.36), and a split bet loses to a dealer blackjack (rule 3.48). Put simply, Crown Perth is ENHC: a dealer blackjack takes everything you have on the table.
- Do not double 11 against a 10 or an ace. Just hit.
- Do not split 8s against a 10 or an ace. Hit 16 instead (or split against a 9 and lower as normal).
- Do not split aces against an ace.
Our strategy chart has an ENHC setting with every change marked, and the no hole card guide explains why these plays flip.
What it costs: our estimate
| Crown Perth game | Key rules | House edge |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack, layouts 1-8 | 8 decks, stands on soft 17, ENHC, resplit aces | About 0.57% (our estimate) |
| Blackjack, layouts 9-14 | Same, but dealer hits soft 17 | About 0.79% (our estimate) |
| Pontoon | Perth rules, 48-card decks | 0.38% (Wizard of Odds) |
| Blackjack Plus | Dealer 22 pushes, 21 wins at once | Several percent (see below) |
We built the estimates in our house edge calculator: the 0.59% base game, plus 0.10% for ENHC, minus 0.12% for resplitting aces (and plus 0.22% where the dealer hits soft 17). Treat them as close estimates, not official figures.
Blackjack Plus in Perth: three versions
The May 2026 update rewrote the Blackjack Plus section. The casino must display which version is running:
- Version A: no automatic card-count wins.
- Version B: a five-card hand of 21 or less wins automatically ("Five and Under").
- Version C: a six-card hand of 21 or less wins automatically ("Six and Under").
In every version a player 21 wins at once, you may double on two or three cards (three-card doubles need a total under 21) and a dealer 22 is a stand-off for every hand still on the table. That last rule is the expensive one. Sounds like a small trade for all those extras? It is not. Our Blackjack Plus guide shows why the dealer 22 push costs far more than the extras give back.
Perth rules worth knowing before you sit
- Legacy Wagers. If Crown raises a table's limits (with 10 minutes' notice), seated players who are already betting can be offered a Legacy Wager marker and keep playing at the old minimum for up to one hour, or longer at management's discretion. In my experience few players know to ask for it.
- No mid-shoe entry at hand-shuffled tables. Skip the first round of a shoe, or sit out after betting, and you can be held to the table minimum until the next shuffle (rule 3.8).
- You must draw on 11 or less unless you have doubled (rule 4.20).
- Sitting out three rounds in a row can cost you your seat (rule 8.7).
- Even money: with a blackjack against a dealer ace you can ask to be paid 1 to 1 at once. It is the same bet as insurance, so the maths says decline.
- Dealers cannot coach you (rule 8.1). Learn your plays before you arrive.
- No devices. Calculators, computers or any device that can analyse the game are banned at or near the table (rule 8.11). The casino can void your hands and exclude you.
Side bets on Perth tables
Crown Pairs pays on a pair in your first two cards, with seven possible pay tables. We calculated the house edge for each: it ranges from about 1.9% (6 decks, paying 30/12/5) to about 10% (6 decks, paying 25/12/5). The table you sit at matters more than the bet itself. Buster Blackjack pays when the dealer busts, more for more cards, and in Blackjack Plus it also wins on a dealer 22. Full numbers are in our side bets guide.
Carded play and limits in WA
Since 1 December 2025, carded play is mandatory on electronic gaming machines at Crown Perth, with caps of 12 hours a day and 28 hours a week and a break every three hours. Players can lower their limits at once, but increases wait seven days. These caps apply to machines, not live table games, but Crown's PlaySafe team covers the whole floor. 18+ only. Gambling Help Online: 1800 858 858.
Rules change from one casino to the next, and sometimes from one table to the next in the same room. Want every casino in one view? See blackjack rules at every Australian casino (one table, with sources). Or use these guides side by side before you choose a table: New to Aussie tables? Start with our Australian blackjack rules guide and keep the strategy chart open while you practise.Compare with other Aussie casinos
Casino guide What stands out Key number Crown Melbourne blackjack Rules Version 29.0: no hole card, double 9-11, Crown Blackjack hits soft 17 Pontoon 0.38% The Star Sydney blackjack Star Blackjack hits soft 17, Blackjack Challenge, NSW carded play Pontoon 0.42% Crown Sydney blackjack Traditional vs Crown Blackjack, partial doubles, no pokies A$20 legal minimum Crown Perth blackjack Soft 17 set by table layout, dealer blackjack takes all, resplit aces Pontoon 0.38% The Star Brisbane and Gold Coast Star Blackjack hits soft 17, 2026 ownership change About 0.8% SkyCity Adelaide blackjack Freebet and 6:5 Party Blackjack, SA's only casino Pontoon 0.64%
Game and tool guides What it covers Key number Blackjack Plus Dealer 22 pushes, instant pays on 21 and five cards 6.36% house edge Pontoon vs blackjack 48-card decks, player 21 always wins, house edge by city 0.34% to 0.64% Side bets in Australia Crown Pairs, Buster Blackjack, Any Pair, insurance 1.9% to 22% Minimum bets in Australia What players report at Crown and The Star, electronic tables Checked Sept 2026 Card counting in Australia What is legal, counting devices, bet limits and bans NSW s87(2) House edge calculator Enter your table's rules and see the cost per hour A$ per hour
Frequently asked questions
Does the dealer hit soft 17 at Crown Perth?
It depends on the table. On layouts 1 to 8 the dealer stands on soft 17. On layouts 9 to 14 the dealer hits soft 17.
What happens to my double if the dealer gets blackjack at Crown Perth?
You lose it. Under the Crown Perth rules a dealer blackjack takes the main bet, any double and any split bets.
Can you resplit aces at Crown Perth?
Yes. If a split ace receives another ace you may split again, up to three hands, but each ace gets only one card.
Can I double on soft hands at Crown Perth?
No. Doubling is allowed only on a hard total of 9, 10 or 11 on two cards.
What is a Legacy Wager?
If Crown Perth raises a table's limits while you are playing, it can let seated players keep betting at the old minimum for up to one hour, shown by a Legacy Wager marker.
Practise the Perth rules first
ENHC strategy feels strange the first few times you hit an 11. Get it into your hands with our free blackjack game and the trainer, practice points only.