B&G safechips are in use at a number of UK and european casinos, but it would only appear to be the high end chips. They cost some $8 a chip to produce (so I am told)

See my other posts regarding this issue....In summary, its the security (counterfeiting) aspect they are most concerned about. The main feature of these chips is not the ability to catch people leaving with them, but to detect 'un-chipped' counterfeit chips the moment they are placed on the table or cage counter (there are detectors underneath). Apparently it is possible to determine the location (within the premises) of any safechip as they have unique serial numbers.

I had a long discussion with the manager of the London Hard Rock Casino about this. Although the Hard Rock chips are considered difficult to copy, he was aware of many 'scams' uncovered at other Rank Group casinos with 'easy design to copy' chips. He said that the majority of frauds that occur are only discovered after the event and the culprits never found. It was also quite likely that up to 50% of frauds would never be traced.

He pointed out that one casino had to change their entire stock as they were finding that the £100 chip count was more than they had ever had made!! The 'copies' were undetectable!

In the UK, where casinos are only open 16 hours a day, it is easy for them to assess, as all chips are returned to the cage at the days end.

It was thought that whoever was behind the scam was probably just bringing in 1 or 2 chips a day to cash in, and it therefore took them a long time to realise it. Had 100 been brought in at once they would have known straight away.

A policy (unwritten or not) regarding removal of chips is always likely to exist therefore, whether or not it is actually written in statute.