IAG Supplier Awards 2010

Best Table Gaming Essential

This category includes dice, cards, chips/plaques, roulette wheels and rakes.

In the baccarat-focused markets of Asia, it's not surprising that operators unanimously chose playing cards as their nominated products in the Table Gaming Essential section.

Winner: Casino Angel pre-shuffled cards

Angel pre-shuffled cards emerged as the majority winner. Japan's Angel Playing Cards is dominant in the key Asian jurisdiction of Macau, where the company is estimated to have 90% of the market.

The judges praised the quality of Angel's pre-shuffled product, with one operator reporting a 99.9% error free record.

"Angel Cards used in concert with the Angel Eye card shoe mitigate the risk of introducing foreign cards, reduce tableau errors and provide card-by-card tracking for surveillance purposes," stated one of the judges. 'Tableau' is a reference to game rules that govern when dealing staff should or should not draw the next card.

Players reportedly also like the cards. "No complaints from the customers about the Angel cards… great quality, great to squeeze and easy to read," was the feedback from players via the operators.

"Angel have a pro-active relationship with this company and have been listening to and implementing feedback on areas for improvement for over 10 years," said one of the judges.

"There is a high level of confidence in Angel's production techniques and security aspects that, along with sound company processes, mitigate most of the risks associated with card scams in casinos."

Honourable Mention: United States Playing Card Company – KEM casino plastic cards

USPCC supplies the full range of its respected card brands to the Asian market, including exceptionally high quality KEM® brand plastic cards noted for their virtually error-free shuffle and durability in high play volume markets such as Macau. The cards for Macau use a standard index on the playing side, while those supplied to casinos in Europe and the US commonly use a jumbo-size index.