In a move that follows on the heels of a television expose about the dangers of lead based poker chips, 21 of California's have announced they will be changing to switching to non lead based chips.
This all started in November of 2007 when a station in Arizona aired a TV show about the lead content in poker chips from Paulson Gaming Supplies. Since the show aired they have changed their name to Gaming Partners International. The show exposed that the chips and dangerously high levels of lead. The chips use a lead center, which is responsible for giving the chips their hefty feel. The report also said that just handling the chips was enough to introduce toxic lead levels into your body. A health department warning was sent out, but after they were unable to replicate the findings of the TV the warning was called off.
Independent testing shows that you are not in any danger of lead poisoning just from handling the chaps and that for it to be dangerous someone would have to ingest the chips.
A non profit group that monitors lead content in products has been targeting casinos that use these chips across the country. According to the Center for Environmental Health 28 of the 30 largest American casinos use these chips. The chips were made in Mexico and use lead based dyes on the exteriors of the chips as well as the solid lead cores.
A deal between 21 Californian casinos the chip manufacturer and the CEHCA , where the casinos will switch to a lead free chips that must contain no more then .005% lead. Until the casinos change their chips, they must post a warning for all players to see that states that the chips contain a high level of a dangerous metal and what problems can come from lead poisoning.
Here is a list of the 21 casinos:
- California Commerce Club, Inc.
- Cameo Club
- Capitol Casino
- Casino Poker Club
- Casino Real
- Club One Casino, Inc.
- The 500 Club
- Golden West Casino
- Hustler Casino
- Kelly's
- Lake Bowl Cardroom
- Limelight Card Rooms
- Lucky Derby Casino
- The Nineteenth Hole General Partnership
- Ocean View Card Room
- Palace Card Club
- Phoenix Casino and Lounge, Inc.
- The Players Club
- Rogelio's, Inc.
- Turlock Poker Room
- Village Club Card Room
