Part III: Business & Regulation · Casino Marketing & Player Management

Non-Negotiable Chip (NN Chip)

Comps & Incentives

The formal industry term for what is commonly called a “dead chip” in Macau. Non-negotiable chips function identically to dead chips—they can be wagered but not cashed out, and winning bets are paid in cashable chips. The “non-negotiable” designation refers to the fact that the chip cannot be negotiated (exchanged) for cash at the casino cage. NNs are used in VIP rolling chip programs, promotional offers, and player incentive schemes. Their value to the casino is that they incent wagering without the risk of direct cash payout—the casino only pays out on winning bets while retaining the face value of losing wagers.

In practice

In North American jurisdictions, “non-negotiable” is the standard regulatory term, while “dead chip” is the vernacular used in Macau and most Asian markets.

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.