Lead Found In Popular Poker Chips

I was under the impression that the chips were lead slugs covered with “clay”. So, wouldn’t that account for the high levels of lead?

What do you think the chances are that LA casinos such as Commerce, the Bike, and HG also have chips with a high amount of lead? Is there one major company supplying the West with their casino chips?

Do you think there will be some kind of official response to this discovery from the casinos?

They’re talking about Paulsons. They are considered to be the best.

No good-quality chip has slugs in the middle. “Clay” chips are compression molded out of one material.

I believe the vast majority of casinos use clay chips, though I’ve heard of some using ceramic ones.

RJ, the company investigated is Paulson, based in Vegas. The chips are marked with the manufacturer’s name. That’s not to say that other brands of chips are or are not free of lead. Excerpts from Paulson’s promotional materials were shown in the report. They indicated that the composition of the chips, involving a number of different materials, is a trade secret. I know nothing of meterials science, but it would seem to me that poker chips could be satisfactorily weighted without the use of lead. The lead was found on the surface of the chips and on the “dust” coming off of the chips and thus could be inhaled or ingested. I doubt if this lead is particularly harmful to the average poker player (the story did express some concern for dealers), but I would absolutely keep the chips away from small children. A small child might well be attracted to the colorful chips which might be mistaken for toys or “cookies,” and lead is notoriously good-tasting.

Reverse-Osmosis-Poker anyone?
(my new espresso machine has just arrived and I had spent yesterday night installing a water filter for it )
Seems nobody likes Poker Players in America, even the industry itself… it’s indeed sad.
Good health & good fortune to everyone
Pawel

This proves that online poker is much better for your health!

Hey Ed,
Just got up from a last night late session and my wife had clipped this out of the papaer and laid it on the kitchen table.

I was immediately glad that I never touch food or anything else going near my mouth or eyes without a surgical washing of my hands in the casion bathroom first.

However, I wish you had given the grinding and snorting heads-up a little sooner.

Hm, I am going to Vegas on Wednesday and I plan to play quite a bit of poker while I am there…

If this is the last you ever hear from me then I want to thank you all for all the great discussions and poker knowledge!

Seriously, that is pretty weird that the big casinos would let this slip through.

I use hand sanitizer before I eat and then if it is finger food I use a napkin as well. I saw a player wearing gloves and maybe that is the way to go! But he had driving gloves and a little bulky. Rubber gloves makes my hands sweat.

If not smoke then lead dust!

Online poker forever.

Poker Chips – Lead Based

We have been supplier of casino grade chips (Chipco Chips) for many years and have recently tested a number of chips (Chipco and others) –
We’re happy to report our tests (the SAME tests as demo in AZ) ALL of our chips came up clean -
It appears that most of the other chips (which are currently used in 100′s of casinos worldwide showed positive signs (utilizing the ‘same’ testing kit and methods) -

We are currently contacting ALL of the casinos which do NOT use Chipco Chips and reporting our findings making our chips available to them immediately for the safety of their guests and employees -

Many of the world’s largest ‘card rooms’ centered in California use a variety of chips -

Chipco Chips are the most sought out ‘casino grade’ chip distributed to licensed gaming venues worldwide -

If you have concerns, please inform your favorite gaming establishment about your thoughts – Let them know we’re here to service their needs -

http://www.casinopros.net

To the poster who stated he uses hand sanitizer: Alchohol(used in hand sanitizer) does not remove or render lead harmless…it APPEARS the effects of lead poisoning have already taken hold.

I was very concerned after hearing about the lead content in the Paulson poker chips because I own a set of $1, $5 and $10 chip denominations.

So I had my chips tested at a lab to find out for sure. I had each type, $1/$5/$10, tested where the chip sat in a solution and was allowed to leach for a period of time. The tests came back with the following results: the $1 and $10 chips had non detectable traces of lead and the $5 chip had detectable amounts of 3 parts per billion. To put this into perspective, drinking water can have up to 5 parts per billion.

Before you toss your Paulson chips, have them tested first.

I have been a dealer in a midwest casino for over 10 years. I went to the doctor to get my blood tested. I will get my results later and will let you know the outcome if you wish.

Thanks