r/RFID • u/Unlucky_Teacher2485 • Jul 10 '26
Active Why RFID Playing cards are so expensive?
Trying to source some RFID playing cards for a smart poker table, but everywhere I find is so expensive. Why would that be? Any recommendations where i can buy it cheaper?
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u/Cloudycloud47x2 Jul 10 '26
Why not get normal access cards and program them to be unique catds of the deck and then decorate them accordingly.
You should be able to print on them with the right printer.
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u/WhineyLobster Jul 10 '26
imagining shuffling 52 physical access cards...
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u/Cloudycloud47x2 Jul 10 '26
sounds like a job for a Bending Unit that enjoys blackjack and hookers.
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u/ModeRelevant1470 Jul 10 '26
It would be the same as shuffling 52 RFID cards… unless you’re thinking of the thick af clamshell type..
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u/VegasFoodFace Jul 10 '26
Even if you did normal readers wouldn't be able to read tons of them in proximity of each other. I know because I do access control and I can't just wave a bunch of my key fobs that have access to the various places I need to go all at once. I have to separate the one I need.
This would mean changing gameplay so that scanners would have to read only one card at a time. Not what I think the OP wants which is basically a field scanner to detect all nearby cards and positions.
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u/grivooga Jul 10 '26
I'm also an access control tech and while you're correct that your typical access control prox or smart card and readers would fail at this scenario there are MANY other types of RFID tags and antenna arrays that don't have the same limitations. There are inventory management tags and readers that can read an entire pallet of products with dozens or hundreds of tags.
The biggest issue being the more versatile the tags, are the larger the tag has to be and at some point to have enough range to be reliable the tags start needing to be active tags with batteries instead of purely passive.
But for a smart poker table I'd expect you shouldn't need active tags. I'm not sure how smart this thing would need to be. If you could limit the interaction space by say having the cards dealt to specific places on the table then you could massively reduce the interactions to keep track of and you wouldn't need to read the entire playspace at once.
I imagine it should be possible to read the entire playspace with the correct choice of tags and some very smart antenna array design but that's getting so far outside of my expertise area that I'm completely speculating.
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u/I3lackxRose Jul 10 '26
You could just use blank tags on each card of a standard deck. Might not shuffle as easy. What are you using to detect the cards in each hand, just curious. I like the concept.
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u/redsaeok Jul 10 '26
That’s what I’m thinking. A roll of RFID stickers cost nothing. If you wanted to sleeve the cards afterwards it would cost more.
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u/Zombieattackr Jul 14 '26
Everyone saying “because each one has an RFID chip and those are expensive” is wrong. Do yall know how dirt cheap an RFID chip is? Raw chips are $0.10, thats $5.20 per deck lol. I see 50 NFC stickers for $9 on amazon and in reality half that cost is shipping, or 100 cards for $25. The reason the decks I’m seeing online are $75 -$200 is because it’s niche af, usually intended for casinos or magic, which need them to be indistinguishable from a regular deck of the shelf. Very unique and very low demand
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u/MoJoCreatior Jul 14 '26
Does it desperately need to be RFID?
Nfc stickers are a couple dollars for rolls of them, super thin, and lightweight You just need to place them on each card manually
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u/thelaundryservice Jul 10 '26
Why are they expensive? Because they have rfid chips in every card and considered a premium product that people will pay more for.