InventHelp, the Pittsburgh-based invention-submission services firm, is promoting a new table game concept called California Pic-Poker — a hybrid design that attempts to merge five-card stud poker mechanics with roulette-style betting at a single gaming table. The invention, catalogued as LOS-621, was developed by a Los Angeles-based inventor who says the format could offer casino operators a differentiated floor product with broader player appeal than traditional standalone poker or roulette tables.
According to the submission, California Pic-Poker allows players to wager on individual cards or on any of 10 standard five-card stud poker hand outcomes, using original house rules and betting odds. Two format variants are described: one using a roulette wheel as the randomization mechanism and one substituting dice. Payoff odds are not publicly disclosed and are described as "available upon request," leaving operators without key data needed to evaluate table yield, hold percentage, or throughput potential relative to existing floor inventory.
For casino and gaming-adjacent hospitality operators, new table game concepts face a steep regulatory and commercial vetting process before floor deployment. Gaming commissions in jurisdictions such as Nevada, New Jersey, and California require independent mathematical analysis, field trials, and certification before any new game format can be offered to the public. There is no indication in the InventHelp submission that California Pic-Poker has undergone third-party odds verification, regulatory review, or pilot testing at any licensed property.
The broader gaming technology and table game innovation market remains active, with established suppliers such as Scientific Games, Shuffle Master (now Light & Wonder), and Galaxy Gaming regularly introducing certified side-bet formats and proprietary table game variants to casino operators through structured licensing and revenue-share arrangements. Independent inventors seeking casino floor placement typically license IP to one of these intermediaries or pursue direct deals with tribal gaming operators, where approval pathways can differ from commercial casino chains.
InventHelp's core business model centers on connecting inventors with patent and marketing services rather than direct commercialization or operator distribution. For hospitality technology and gaming operations executives evaluating floor mix, new table game ROI is typically measured against covers per hour, average bet size, and hold rate — none of which are available for this concept at this stage. Operators interested in hybrid game formats with documented performance data may find more immediately actionable options through established gaming suppliers with certified product portfolios and proven install bases.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.