Macau's densely packed casino floors and high-stakes gambling are creating special opportunities for makers of sophisticated gaming tables that come with security features to deter cheats.
But casino vendors say nothing can replace old-fashioned vigilance for stopping card sharps aiming to bring down the house.
The Galaxy Waldo Casino recently bought 56 baccarat tables capable of monitoring every move dealers and players make throughout a game.
The tables have been jointly developed by Bally Gaming Systems and United States Playing Cards.
First, a laser scanner reads a bar-code pattern printed in invisible ink on each card, verifying that each one leaving the card shoe is genuine and belongs to the Waldo. Then, when the dealer places the cards on the table, the system ensures they are placed in the exact order they left the shoe.
The table also keeps track of each gambler's bets, recording information used in customer loyalty programmes.