Counterfeit Chips

[VoxGibson]

I've often wondered how casinos keep people from counterfeiting playing chips.... sorry if my spelling is off

[walterberk]

I have no idea, but I think you're a terrific speller!

[Tacjedi]

It looks like RFID may be used

http://www.piranet.com/pira/piranet.asp?page=/Pira/newsitem.htm&NewsItemId=5962&Group=2&SubGroup=0

[ddss6_99]

[ QUOTE ]
It looks like RFID may be used

[/ QUOTE ]

They're quite expensive though, something like $1.25/chip

[ZeeBee]

RFID tag costs are highly dependent on the type of tag you need. The typical passive tag as used for the famous Wal-Mart trials can be got for <25c.

The antenna usually have to be surface mounted on RFID tags though, I think that would mess up the poker chip aesthetics. I guess these must be specialist chips.

ZB

[razor]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v247/razor27/InstantURLCode.jpg

[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]
I've often wondered how casinos keep people from counterfeiting playing chips.... sorry if my spelling is off

[/ QUOTE ]

In short, difficult and expensive to make, then difficult to pass in the marketplace.

First off -- they're difficult to make. They may use different molds, edge stripes, inlays, and ultraviolet ink so that their chips are unique. Since they all tend to use the same colors, especially for large denominations, counterfeiters can't buy $1 blacks someplace and dress them up to be $100 elsewhere. You're going to start from scratch. Ask the home poker forum guys for an idea of justhow few manufacturers there are and how none of them will make multiple edge spot chips. So the process is expensive.

More importantly, chips have a very narrow use, and the casino can and do monitor their redemption closely. Counterfeiters cannot spread them around as easily as paper money. Anyone cashing out a rack of blacks can be stopped and questioned. Moreover, the casino could completely halt their circulation and switch to a different chip at any time if they pleased.