Part III: Business & Regulation · Banking, Chips & Financial Operations

2. Plaque

Chips

A plaque is a large, rectangular high-denomination gaming instrument used in place of traditional round chips for very large bets, typically in VIP and high-limit gaming areas. Plaques are most commonly associated with Macau and European casinos, where they are used for denominations typically starting at HK$100,000 or equivalent. Unlike standard chips, plaques are significantly larger — often the size of a playing card — and feature enhanced security elements including serial numbers, holographic overlays, and intricate designs that make counterfeiting extremely difficult. They are stored and transported in secured cases separate from standard chip inventory.

In practice

Macau’s VIP rooms rely heavily on plaques for baccarat play. Some jurisdictions refer to them as “jetons” or “lammers” depending on regional convention.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.