Pragmatic Play has added two new mechanics to its Privé Lounge Blackjack product, giving VIP players additional choices while retaining the format’s land-based blackjack foundations. The update introduces Face Down Double Down and Split After Split, with the latter lifting the game’s return to player (RTP) to 99.51%.
The changes extend a series of rule additions made to the blackjack table and follow last year’s Double Down After Split update. Pragmatic Play has continued to place live casino among its main areas of attention after a June 2026 strategic review led the company to phase out sportsbook and bingo.
New Mechanics Change How Players Approach Hands
Face Down Double Down lets a player double their wager and receive another card without immediately seeing that card. The additional card remains concealed until the dealer finishes their hand, creating uncertainty around the outcome of the decision.
Split After Split applies to qualifying hands created after an initial split. Players can split those hands again, creating additional options during play and raising the table’s RTP to 99.51%.
Both mechanics remain exclusive to Privé Lounge Blackjack. The format operates as a single-player table, meaning one customer can occupy the table at a time. It also offers features aimed at individual preferences, including dealer changes, session extensions and shoe reshuffles.
The latest additions strengthen a VIP product that has expanded since its launch in late 2023. The Privé Lounge initially offered five blackjack tables and had reached ten by May 2024. The wider Privé Lounge portfolio has since grown to include Baccarat, Roulette, Roulette Deluxe and Russian Poker, with Russian Poker added in July 2026.
VIP Format Retains Personalised Table Options
Privé Lounge Blackjack provides dedicated VIP hosts and trained dealers alongside its customised gameplay arrangements. Players can request a dealer change or extend a session for up to 90 minutes. The format carries betting limits from €1,000/£1,000 to €20,000, while access requires a minimum account balance of €6,000/£6,000.
The product has also attracted operators since its introduction, with Unibet and Betsson among the early brands to offer the format. Its expansion has accompanied Pragmatic Play’s broader development of its live casino catalogue, with the company continuing to add products and gameplay variations within the vertical.
Sharon McHugh, director of Public Relations at Pragmatic Play, said: “Privé Lounge Blackjack has delivered a truly premium experience from day one, combining personalised service with elegant gameplay. Face Down Double Down adds a new level of suspense to every hand, while Split After Split gives players greater strategic freedom and improves their potential edge. Together, they deliver a richer blackjack experience while remaining true to the classic gameplay that players know and enjoy.”
The supplier distributes its content to operators through a single API integration and holds licences from the Gambling Commission in Great Britain, the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner and the Malta Gaming Authority.
Source:
“Pragmatic Play upgrades premium blackjack with new Privé features”, igamingbusiness.com, August 11, 2026
