This article was originally published by RFID Update.
December 6, 2004—RFID technology continued making inroads to the gaming industry last week with the announcement that Las Vegas-based gaming supply giant Shuffle Master had purchased two patents from patent licensing and enforcement firm Enpat of Palm Bay, Florida. In buying patents 5,735,742 and 5,651,548 for $12.5 million, Shuffle Master was exercising an option the two companies had agreed to in October. The first patent, ‘742, covers an RFID system that allows the instant inventorying of every gaming chip in a casino. ‘548 describes a method of tracking chips as they are moved around on casino gaming tables.
Look for the continued embrace of RFID technology by Las Vegas and the gaming industry. The technology’s merits are especially applicable in casinos, where inventory – chips – is as liquid as cash itself. There will also be RFID developments in customer loyalty programs, since RFID-enabled smart cards will not only allow gamers to spend more money with less hassle (always the casinos’ goal), they will enhance the data with which casinos can market to their repeat customers.
Read the article at Business Wire
