How Plastic altered the way we see Real Money and Gambling

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Many of us have a different reaction when we hear the term ‘real money casino gambling‘. Some may recoil with thoughts of addiction and losing money. Others will find their interest piqued by the prospect of a popular pastime. But it’s interesting how those perceptions can change when plastic is involved.

The invention of plastic was a phenomenal thing. The first wholly man-made variety was patented by English metallurgist Alexander Parkes in 1856, and won him a Bronze Medal when he unveiled it at the 1862 World’s Fair in London.

Since then, synthetic plastics have become a crucial part of everyday life. Every household appliance, from stove top ovens and coffee pots, to computers and mobile devices, contains plastic. The cars we drive, the bottle of mustard we squeeze onto a sandwich, the wrapper on the pack of cigarettes we know we shouldn’t be smoking – all derived from plastic.

And of course, there’s the plastic in our wallets and pocket books. In today’s day and age, plastic credit cards are essential to anyone old enough to own one.

The first credit cards came out in the 1920’s when major businesses, like hotels and oil companies, established them as a way to let their employees charge purchases at company-owned retailers. Then in 1950, the first bank-issued credit card, by Diner’s Club, was released. Within a year, 20,000 people owned one. American Express followed suit in 1958, and half a century later, most of us wouldn’t know how to live without them.

Another genius invention was the poker chip, also derived, in part, from that precious substance we call plastic. Genuine casino chips are actually compression molded, using mostly clay, combined with other substances to make them more durable. Unless you buy the cheapest variety off the shelf, the only plastic thing on them is the outer coating, which helps protect the printed design in the center.

Real Money Casino Gambling with Chips

Getting back to my original point, though, plastic credit cards and man-made poker chips have completely altered the way most of us perceive spending and real money casino gambling.

When we go to a department store, we are more reluctant to make a large purchase if it involves parting with actual cash out of our pockets. Swiping a piece of plastic, on the other hand, gives us the false impression that we’re not really parting with that money – at least, not yet. We can always pay the bill at a later date, or even just a portion of it when the monthly statement arrives in the mail.

The same perception takes place in a casino. We use cash to purchase chips, but at that moment, the money is still ours, so we don’t feel guilty about it. Once we get to the blackjack table or roulette wheel, those chips become nothing more than a symbol.

While the chip represents cash value, it doesn’t give us the same feeling of reluctance we may suffer if we had to place a real bank note on the table. We may be more inclined to double down on that 11, or split those 9s, when we don’t feel like we’re using real money.

The casino gambling industry is well aware of that fact, and takes full advantage by requiring all players to use chips – not cash – when placing their bets. The only exception to that rule is made for high-rollers and VIPs who play on private tables, and have no qualms with separating large stacks of bills from their person.