The Online Poker Player Resource

Poker players had better be careful NOT to eat away or bite on their chips. The Arizona Department of Health Services has issued an alert stating that poker chips could possibly contain dangerous levels of lead. Arizona was compelled to make the announcement due to an independent lab testing commissioned by ABC affiliate KNXV-TV that had found high levels of lead in Paulson brand chips which are sold to many consumers and used by the many of the major casinos.

In reaction to the statement, Gerard P. Charlier, President and Chief Executive Officer, issued the following statement on behalf of Gaming Partners International Corporation

GPI has manufactured gaming chips for use in casinos and card rooms for 85 years and has always operated in a responsible manner and we respectfully object to any implication or statement that our gaming chips may pose any health risk when used in their intended manner. As a matter of fact, we are not aware of a single reported case of lead poisoning resulting from the use of a gaming chip.

Although testing has proven the presence of lead in the chips, the mere presence of lead is not sufficient to conclude that there is a health risk. In fact, independent testing has also demonstrated that the simple handling of these chips would not produce any risk of health concerns to the consumer nor to the environment. The results that ABC15 has advertised in its promotion of the broadcast came from a laboratory destruction of the chip and not the intended consumer use.

During the past decade, we have reformulated the composition of materials to reduce lead levels in our chips. Our latest chips have only trace amounts of lead well below even the strictest applicable safety standards.

Arizona Health Department of Health Services is currently conducting its own tests, to be sure. However, the department felt that the release of the alert was necessary “because of the potential exposure to the most vulnerable population, the children of families that currently have this product in their homes. There is also a potential for the dealers to expose their families, specifically children, to this lead hazard."