Harrah’s looking into chip lead
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Following the ABC story about the high content of lead found in its Paulson brand poker chips, “the Rolls Royce of poker chips,” Harrahs has responded in a press release available on allinmag.com. Director of the WSOP, Gary Thompson, stated:
“Last week’s report by an Arizona television station concerning the lead content of casino gaming chips has resulted in several follow-up stories in the poker media.
“Some stories were accompanied by illustrations of official World Series of Poker chips.
“We bought new chips for the 2005 WSOP and supplemented that purchase in 2006 to replace missing chips taken as souvenirs the previous year. When we learned of the TV story, we contacted the chip manufacturer, which informed us of its position that when used for their intended purposes, the chips pose no health risk to the public.
“We have taken steps to learn more about this matter as quickly as possible. Among other things, we have advised regulators in the jurisdictions where we do business of the TV report and expressed our willingness to work with them to resolve any issues arising from this matter if it’s determined that an issue actually exists.
“Our top priority is the safety and welfare of our employees and guests. We are committed to resolving questions about this issue as quickly as possible, and we will communicate accurate information as soon as it is available. Should any corrective action be appropriate, we will take those steps immediately.”
Lead exposure is highly hazardous, and despite the claim that the chips are safe when used for their intended purpose, the ABC investigation found that the tiny particles that break off from the chips during handling also tested positive for lead.
Will Humble, the former head of Arizona’s lead poisoning prevention program, said, “These chips are going to end up in people’s homes and kids will play with things that are fun. The worst case scenario would be to have a toddler take a chip like this and stick it in their mouth and by that method they could get a very large dose of lead.”
