A hotstamp chip will be around 50c cheaper than an inlaid one.
A casino like Caesars 'loses' 5000-10000 $1 chips a month as souvenirs.
Yes that seems a huge amount but the bigger casinos actually have standing orders with GPI/Paulson for $1 chips.
In that quantity it's possible Paulson can get the price down to $1. That's a $40,000 a year saving for Caesars.