You might think this kind of thing goes on all\nthe time but, in reality, making a counterfeit chip is a time-consuming and\nalmost always futile exercise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the first drawbacks is that every\ncasino is going to have a different chip. The material, weight, color, and feel\nmake each casino\u2019s value checks different from its neighbors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019d really have to specialize. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And dealing with just one casino makes it\neasier to get caught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Fake Chips Are Difficult To Make <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nCasino chips – also known as checks, cheques\nand tokens – are usually made of molded plastic or \u2018clay\u2019. As mentioned, they vary\nin weight, style, design, markings and color from one casino to the other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The colors of chips used in casinos are\nusually the same, with the value denominations as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- White – $1<\/li>
- Red – $5<\/li>
- Green – $25<\/li>
- Black – $100<\/li>
- Purple – $500<\/li>
- Orange – $1,000<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
However, ask any artist or designer, or just\nplan to repaint your home, and you\u2019ll instantly realize that there are more\nshades of each of these colors than you can imagine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So even though all casinos might have green\n$25 chips, the exact shade is distinct and can be hard for counterfeiters to\nmatch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why most counterfeiters start with $1\nchecks (white) from their target casino. They\u2019re a suitable material and this\nhelps with weight and feel for counterfeiting higher value chips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But even then, painting a white chip the\ncorrect shade of black without altering its weight or feel is very difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it’s not just the black but the color of\nthe stripes that are on all chips as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if scammers can match the shades exactly\nand remember to check for UV markings and keep the weight and feel similar,\nthere is still the inlay on each chip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That has the casino, the denomination and,\ndepending on the value of the chip, potentially lots of other security features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From holograms to microdots to color-shifting\nink, high-value casino chips are extremely difficult<\/strong> to reproduce. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSome even have built-in radio frequency transmitters, known as RFID chips<\/a>, and are frequently found in high limit rooms in Las Vegas and Macau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Casino](\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/casino-chips-casino-tokens.jpg\")
Image: mizmareck\/Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nYou Will Get Caught And Be Heavily Punished\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nBut in all honesty, the effort required to\nmake fake chips is not what dissuades most counterfeiters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Due to Know Your Customer (KYC)<\/a> and Anti-Money Laundering laws<\/a>, every casino tracks high-value chips. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSuppose you’re buying in with chips worth more\nthan $500 or $1,000 (purple or orange). In that case, the floor supervisor\ncalls surveillance and takes your picture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sheer number of cameras and the ability to\ngo back weeks or even months on surveillance footage to track basically\nindividual checks should give anyone pause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should you attempt to buy in with high-value\nchips, casino personnel will try very hard to get your name and ID. Failing at\nthat will only raise their suspicions more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you attempt to buy in or cash out over $10K, the US government requires we obtain your ID and SSN<\/a>, or you aren’t allowed to play. Other countries have similar money laundering<\/a> laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGetting caught using counterfeit casino chips\ncan set you up for a variety of felony charges, so if you want to avoid hefty fines\nand prison time we suggest you steer clear of this shady business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
$100\nChecks Are Counterfeited The Most<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"$100](\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/100-black-casino-chip.jpg\")
Image: Lablascovegmenu\/Flickr, CC BY 2.0<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nHigher value chips will be noticed quickly and\nare very simple to track. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lower denomination chips aren’t worth the time\nof carefully hand painting and replacing the inlays, which is why most\ncounterfeiters stick to $100 checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At one point, the fake inlays were being\nprovided by companies in Asia on the dark web. You could send them the chip,\nand they would print off the inlays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While this made counterfeiting a bit easier,\nit also came with a high cost. Therefore, almost assuring that the $100 chip\nwas the most targeted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s possible that US Customs, under pressure\nfrom casinos, have shut down some of these operations, or perhaps they’ve just\ngone even further into the dark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our counterfeiter mentioned at the start had\nclearly thought ahead about some things – but not others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Database queries on players who played craps\nwith no cash buy-ins narrowed the field, and cameras provided the rest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He got 12 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cons, Scams, And Assorted Hustles<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe odds of you receiving a counterfeit chip\ninside a real casino are vanishingly small. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, it is buyer beware outside of the\ncasino. Counterfeiters over the years have realized the obvious: It’s a lot\nsafer to pass chips outside of the casinos than in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Casino chip scams, especially bait and switch,\nwhere your real chips get switched out for fake ones, have been a problem in\nLas Vegas since the city was founded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Millions of unsuspecting tourists make it a\nhot spot for all kinds of cons, but passing counterfeit chips off as real ones\nis still a hometown favorite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trick here isn’t knowing all of the\nsecurity features in all of the chips all over town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s not allowing someone to use your greed to\nsuspend your disbelief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just as you’re not going to fall for that\nNigerian Prince wanting to put millions in your bank account, you also\nshouldn’t entertain the notion of buying an orange chip ($1,000) for $700\nbecause the guy doesn’t have an ID to cash it out, or got booted from the\ncasino and can’t go back in or whatever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, ask any artist or designer, or just\nplan to repaint your home, and you\u2019ll instantly realize that there are more\nshades of each of these colors than you can imagine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So even though all casinos might have green\n$25 chips, the exact shade is distinct and can be hard for counterfeiters to\nmatch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why most counterfeiters start with $1\nchecks (white) from their target casino. They\u2019re a suitable material and this\nhelps with weight and feel for counterfeiting higher value chips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But even then, painting a white chip the\ncorrect shade of black without altering its weight or feel is very difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And it’s not just the black but the color of\nthe stripes that are on all chips as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if scammers can match the shades exactly\nand remember to check for UV markings and keep the weight and feel similar,\nthere is still the inlay on each chip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That has the casino, the denomination and,\ndepending on the value of the chip, potentially lots of other security features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From holograms to microdots to color-shifting\nink, high-value casino chips are extremely difficult<\/strong> to reproduce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some even have built-in radio frequency transmitters, known as RFID chips<\/a>, and are frequently found in high limit rooms in Las Vegas and Macau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But in all honesty, the effort required to\nmake fake chips is not what dissuades most counterfeiters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Due to Know Your Customer (KYC)<\/a> and Anti-Money Laundering laws<\/a>, every casino tracks high-value chips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Suppose you’re buying in with chips worth more\nthan $500 or $1,000 (purple or orange). In that case, the floor supervisor\ncalls surveillance and takes your picture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The sheer number of cameras and the ability to\ngo back weeks or even months on surveillance footage to track basically\nindividual checks should give anyone pause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Should you attempt to buy in with high-value\nchips, casino personnel will try very hard to get your name and ID. Failing at\nthat will only raise their suspicions more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you attempt to buy in or cash out over $10K, the US government requires we obtain your ID and SSN<\/a>, or you aren’t allowed to play. Other countries have similar money laundering<\/a> laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting caught using counterfeit casino chips\ncan set you up for a variety of felony charges, so if you want to avoid hefty fines\nand prison time we suggest you steer clear of this shady business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higher value chips will be noticed quickly and\nare very simple to track. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lower denomination chips aren’t worth the time\nof carefully hand painting and replacing the inlays, which is why most\ncounterfeiters stick to $100 checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At one point, the fake inlays were being\nprovided by companies in Asia on the dark web. You could send them the chip,\nand they would print off the inlays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While this made counterfeiting a bit easier,\nit also came with a high cost. Therefore, almost assuring that the $100 chip\nwas the most targeted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s possible that US Customs, under pressure\nfrom casinos, have shut down some of these operations, or perhaps they’ve just\ngone even further into the dark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our counterfeiter mentioned at the start had\nclearly thought ahead about some things – but not others. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Database queries on players who played craps\nwith no cash buy-ins narrowed the field, and cameras provided the rest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He got 12 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The odds of you receiving a counterfeit chip\ninside a real casino are vanishingly small. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, it is buyer beware outside of the\ncasino. Counterfeiters over the years have realized the obvious: It’s a lot\nsafer to pass chips outside of the casinos than in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Casino chip scams, especially bait and switch,\nwhere your real chips get switched out for fake ones, have been a problem in\nLas Vegas since the city was founded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Millions of unsuspecting tourists make it a\nhot spot for all kinds of cons, but passing counterfeit chips off as real ones\nis still a hometown favorite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The trick here isn’t knowing all of the\nsecurity features in all of the chips all over town. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s not allowing someone to use your greed to\nsuspend your disbelief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as you’re not going to fall for that\nNigerian Prince wanting to put millions in your bank account, you also\nshouldn’t entertain the notion of buying an orange chip ($1,000) for $700\nbecause the guy doesn’t have an ID to cash it out, or got booted from the\ncasino and can’t go back in or whatever. <\/p>\n\n\n\nYou Will Get Caught And Be Heavily Punished\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
$100\nChecks Are Counterfeited The Most<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cons, Scams, And Assorted Hustles<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n