Lead? What Lead? Poker Chips Good Enough to Eat*
December 19, 2007
Gaming Partners International Corporation released today the results of a recently concluded scientific test regarding the safety of Paulson(R) gaming chips in a casino environment. The scientific study conducted by Exponent, Inc., a multidisciplinary scientific and engineering consulting firm that performs in-depth scientific research and analysis throughout the world, was commissioned by GPI as a result of a November 7, 2007 report aired by a local Phoenix, Arizona television station claiming that Paulson gaming chips contain dangerous levels of lead and pose a health hazard. Exponent concluded that, under the scenarios evaluated, it is unlikely that the handling of Paulson gaming chips would produce any significant health risk to the players or dealers.
GPI President and Chief Executive Officer, Gerard P. Charlier, said, “Exponent recreated a gaming environment complete with blackjack tables, players, and dealer and monitored the routine handling of the Paulson chips by the players and dealer as well as sampled the air around the gaming table.” He continued, “We are very pleased with the test results which are consistent with our position that when used as intended there is no unacceptable risk to either casino employees or playing public pertaining to the amount of lead in Paulson chips.”
The testing protocol involved successive sessions of blackjack games with the dealer and players participating under a simulated casino environment. The test was conducted in the Exponent facility in Menlo Park, California under the supervision of experts from the Exponent firm including both toxicologists and exposure assessment experts. Dr. Rick Reiss presented the findings to company officials and Arizona Department of Health Services officials last week.
Mr. Charlier added, “Our product has been used, almost exclusively, in gaming casinos for over 40 years and, as one would expect, without a single case where our chip was described as a danger to employees or patrons. The hysteria created by the unfortunate portrayal of the Paulson gaming chip required that we take these extraordinary steps in order to provide independent evaluations of the safety of our product.”
Dr. Rick Reiss who authored the presentation of the results of the tests said, “Under the scenarios we evaluated, it is extremely unlikely that routine handling of Paulson chips by dealers or players would produce an unacceptable exposure for players or dealers.” Commenting further on the tests, Dr. Reiss concluded, “Based on air sampling results, there is no basis for concern that the use of these gaming chips results in any elevated or unacceptable exposure to airborne lead particles.”
Paulson chips had been produced for decades using formulas that contained lead monosilicate as one of the many compounds used in the manufacturing process. In 1998, Paulson chips were reformulated as a precautionary measure to substantially reduce the amount of lead in chips and to include compounds that were essentially lead-free. Tests conducted on chips manufactured this year demonstrate that the current version of the chips contain a barely perceptible lead level in the parts per million range which may be occurring naturally in plastics and other components that make up the gaming chip.
* Just to be clear, the “Good Enough to Eat” remark was tongue in cheek. Live Action Poker urges you not to eat poker chips unless they are made of chocolate.
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