I disagree. Blackjack was supposed to be dead back in the 60's after Thorpe's
Beat The Dealer came out. Luckily for me (born a couple decades later) that supposed demise was premature.
6:5 blackjack was just a greed thing started by the Evil Empire. It has succeeded somewhat at the touristy location at low limit, but I don't seem much expansion in recent years. It is what it is.
The bigger recent threat was continuous shuffle machines (CSM), but I think that threat has also been contained. There is just too much cost (lease) and maintenance costs associated with these machines. They constantly are breaking down. I just don't see a lot of new CSM any more. If anything casinos are going to automatic shuffle machines (ASM), which don't eliminate card counting unless operators are cheating by using an illegal mode.
Yes, the newer model machines have the ability to sequence cards (with a code of password). Doing so is illegal. Is it possible that some casino might do so? Yes, just like it is possible some dealers deal seconds. It's illegal but possible. I personally have one single casino that I am uncomfortable with my results against their ASM, so I no longer play there. I am not accusing anything. Just my own response. Now you will hear some other conspiracy theories.
What I think the bigger threat right now is low limit games with live dealers disappearing. Being replaced by electronic video blackjack, either the 5 seat terminals with the pretty female dealers on the big video screen, or the stadium type blackjack that are popping up allowing for one dealer for upwards of 40-50 players.