Resort introducing $10 million chip as a promotion

Thursday, Aug. 10, 2000 | 10:24 a.m.

When the Aladdin hotel-casino opens in seven days, it will introduce a $10 million gaming chip. It's the largest denomination ever seen in the gaming industry and is aimed at attracting attention to the casino.

The $10 million "plaque" is far larger than a standard chip. Shaped like a playing card, the black, white and gold plaque will be 7 inches long and 4 inches wide. The words "London Club" and "$10 million" are inscribed on the plaque in gold leaf.

While the plaque will only be issued by the London Club, the high-end European-style gaming salon within the Aladdin, "this is negotiable anywhere in the casino," said Aladdin spokesman Fred Lewis. "Once we open, it would be the same as a $10 million bill, if there were such a thing."

Plaques will also be available in denominations of $100,000, $500,000, $1 million and $5 million.

However, even the biggest whale won't be able to use the mega-chip to place a huge bet on baccarat. Lewis said the maximum bet is determined by a player's credit limit or the table limit, whichever is lower.

While the table limit can be increased for a player by the casino on a per-hand basis, "there won't be a table with $10 million limits," Lewis said. "This is just a method of paying a player off."