The business world is gradually being taken over by technology, and now it seems to be encroaching on the gambling industry. Even trips to Las Vegas can’t escape the influence of technology, as RFID tags are being embedded in casino chips. These chips, each assigned a unique player code, are being tested at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and will be featured at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel and casino.
The goal of using RFID chips is to track player behavior and potentially generate more revenue from high rollers. This technology is projected to be a $100 million business by 2010. Two Las Vegas-based companies, Progressive Gaming International and Shuffle Master, have taken the lead in this area.
Progressive’s TableLink, which reads RFID chips using table-embedded antennas and records wagers on a dealer’s PC, is the system being used at the two casinos. The companies have also developed optical card shoes that hold decks and scan cards as they are dealt, with Shuffle Master’s Intelligent Shoe receiving positive reviews in Australia and Asia.
While the cost of outfitting a table with the chips and antennas is around $8,000, analysts predict that Progressive will make more money from the $6 per day per table charge for its system. Although one RFID chip costs a casino 40 cents more than a standard chip, this margin is expected to drop to about 10 cents in the near future.
The use of RFID technology in poker/gaming chips is certainly a “technology leap” from the “eye in the sky” that was previously used in casinos. However, it remains to be seen how well it will be received by players who may have hoped to escape technology when playing games at casinos. Nevertheless, it seems that technology will continue to march on and shape the future of various industries.
