Part I: Games & Gaming · Card Games — Baccarat & Blackjack

Monkey

Baccarat (Slang)

Slang term for a face card or ten-value card (10, J, Q, K) in baccarat. Because all these cards count as zero, they can “destroy” an otherwise strong hand total. The term is ubiquitous in Asian baccarat markets, where players often shout “monkey” when hoping for or dreading these cards.

In practice

The origin is debated — possibly from the monkey imagery on some court cards, from “mon” (Chinese for zero), or from the French “monarque.” Surveillance should be aware that “monkey” is normal table vernacular, not suspicious activity.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.