Patent Publication Number: US-9403082-B2

Title: Card disposal system for table game

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 13/896,094, filed May 16, 2013 and entitled “Card Disposal System for Table Game,” which claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-127495, filed May 17, 2012, both of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a card disposition system for a table game that is able to prevent cards used in a card game from being fraudulently brought out, and has a function of detecting whether or not a predetermined number of cards are sufficiently disposed of. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A fraud at the game table is conceivable where a player replaces a card with another card during a game to provide an advantageous game condition for him/her. An example of apparatuses for preventing such a fraud is disclosed in US 2006-0247036A1. In this patent literature, it is determinable whether the cards appeared in the table game are the same as those used in the determination of the winners/losers of each of the game, thereby preventing any fraudulent actions in card games. The apparatus proposed therein prevents fraud by detecting whether or not a card dealt on the game table has been replaced with a false card and was used in determining the winners/losers of the game (see Patent Literature 1). 
     In order to replace any card during a game, it is necessary to obtain cards of the same type as those used in the relevant casino in advance. In many cases, cards used in a table game are collected at the end thereof, but those collected cards are combined into another card set for reuse. Thus, there is a risk that someone may obtain such cards for the purpose of committing fraud during the course of such re-combination of card sets. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     [PTL 1] US 2006-0247036A1 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     With conventional apparatuses, it is not possible to dispose of all of cards, without any omission, that were used on the game table while concurrently confirming that there are a predetermined number of cards (for example, in the case where eight decks of cards are used, there should be 416 cards (52 cards.times.8 decks)). Also, generally at the game table, after the cut card is drawn, the set of cards that has been used in that game will no longer be used. However, unless the unused cards of that card set are sufficiently disposed of such cards may again be fraudulently brought out. 
     The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and aims to provide a card disposal system that enables a perfect disposal operation in which disposal of cards that are to be discarded after the use thereof on the game table is performed only after confirming that the predetermined number of cards are all there (for example, in the case where eight decks of cards are used, there should be 416 cards (52 cards.times.8 sets)). Also, the system is capable of making a void hole or a notch on the cards after verifying the number of cards to make it impossible to reuse such cards, thereby completely preventing any fraudulent reuse of such cards. 
     Solution to Problem 
     To solve the above conventional problems, the present invention provides a card disposal system for disposing of cards that are housed in a card dealing apparatus (dealing shoe) placed on a game table and manually dealt onto the game table after the use thereof in a game, the card disposal system including: a set of cards made up of a plurality of decks of cards that can be housed in the dealing shoe; and a card disposal apparatus for disposing the cards collected, 
     wherein a cut card for stopping a game is included in the set of cards, the card disposal apparatus includes: 
     a discharge opening for receiving a card to be disposed of 
     a number counter for counting and storing the number of cards received from the discharge opening; 
     a voiding means for making a void hole or a notch on a card placed in the discharge opening; 
     a disposed card stocker for receiving a card that has passed through the voiding means in a disposed card carton; and 
     a deck examination means for determining whether the number of cards placed in the discharged opening matches the number of cards corresponding to a predetermined number of decks, the discharge opening sequentially receives the cards that are used in each game and thereafter get collected therein, and is configured to be capable of receiving all cards left unused in the dealing shoe when the game is stopped at a predetermined time after the cut card is drawn from the dealing shoe, the deck examination means adds the number of cards used in each game, that number being counted by the number counter, and the number of the cards left unused in the dealing shoe at the predetermined time after the cut card is drawn from the dealing shoe, and determines whether the number of the cards disposed of matches the number of cards corresponding to a predetermined number of decks, and the disposed card stocker has a closed passage for disposed cards with which no card can be removed after it is placed in the discharge opening before it reaches the disposed card carton. 
     In addition, with the card disposal system for a table game of the present invention that solves the conventional problems, the disposed card carton of the disposed card stocker is configured to be capable of housing a scrap generated from making the void hole together with the card to be disposed of in the disposed card stocker. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     With the card disposal system for a table game of the present invention, it is possible to detect the incorporation of any false cards, and furthermore, to examine whether with respect to the cards that have been put inside a discharge opening, there are a predetermined number of genuine cards for each number (rank), thereby confirming that the cards used in a table game on the game table are a complete set of genuine cards that include the predetermined number of cards for each number (rank). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a table game system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a card disposal apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention as viewed from the side. 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of a card according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing the relation between the codes formed with a mark/marks M printed as information on a card, and the output waves from two UV sensors of a card information acquiring sensor. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a card disposal apparatus of a table game system according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the card disposal apparatus as viewed from the side. 
         FIGS. 7( a ), 7( b ) and 7( c )  are perspective views each illustrating the function of a weight of the card disposal apparatus. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a main portion of a punching device (voiding means) of the card disposal apparatus. 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view showing a card with a void hole made by the punching device. 
         FIGS. 10( a ), 10( b ), 10( c ) and 10( d )  are perspective views of the card disposal apparatus each illustrating the procedure for attaching and removing a disposed card carton to and from a disposed card stocker of the card disposal apparatus. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a main portion of a disposed card carton of the disposed card stocker according to another embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a plan view of a cut card of the embodiments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view illustrating the cards being housed in the dealing shoe. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view illustrating the card disposal system of another embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiment 1 
     Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. In  FIG. 1 , a card disposal apparatus  1  of a card disposal system for the table game according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is installed on a game table  2 . The game table  2  shown in  FIG. 1  is depicted in a simplified manner and appears as it is used in a normal baccarat game. As is well known, there is a player and a banker in a baccarat game. In Embodiment 1, both the player and the banker are referred to as “player”. A dealing shoe  200  is provided on the game table  2 . The dealing shoe  200  is the source for the supply of cards  3 , and the cards  3  drawn from the dealing shoe  200  are dealt to the players. When the game ends, the cards  3  are disposed of through the card disposal apparatus  1 . The card disposal system of Embodiment 1 disposes of the cards  3  after their use in the game, the cards  3  being housed in the dealing shoe  200  that is placed on the game table  2  and manually distributed by the dealer or the like onto the game table  2 . The card disposal system is basically configured with a set of cards  3  including a plurality of decks (normally, 6, 8 or 12 decks) of cards that can be housed in the dealing shoe  200 , and the card disposal apparatus  1  that disposes of collected cards  3   a.    
     A cut card  3   c  is inserted in a set  3   s  of cards  3  (a card set  3   s ) before the card set  3   s  is set in the dealing shoe  200  on the game table  2 . The cut card  3   c  is inserted at any place within the latter half portion of the card set  3   s  when used in a game (in the last quarter or one-fifth of the card set  3   s ). The cut card  3   c  is used to end a game at the game table  2  leaving about 20 to 40 cards  3  in the dealing shoe  200 , so as to prevent any player from counting the ranks of the cards dealt during a game to predict the ranks of the cards when the number of the cards that have not been dealt yet becomes small. The plan view of the cut card  3   c  is shown in  FIG. 12 . 
     The card disposal apparatus  1  is configured such that it sequentially receives the cards  3   a  used and collected in each game, and can receive all of cards  3   r  that are left unused in the dealing shoe  200  when the game is stopped at a predetermined time after the cut card  3   c  comes out of the dealing shoe  200  (at the next game, or a few games after the drawing of the cut card  3   c ). With a deck examination means to be described below, the card disposal device  1  adds the number of cards  3   a  that were used in each game, and the number of the cards  3   r  that are left unused in the dealing shoe  200  at a predetermined time after the drawing of the cut card  3   c  from the dealing shoe  200 , and determines whether the total number of the disposed cards matches the number of cards corresponding to the predetermined number of decks. 
     Next, the card disposal apparatus  1  will be described in detail with reference to  FIG. 2  and the other drawings. The card disposal apparatus  1  includes a discharge opening  4  for the disposal after the game of the cards  3   a  that are dealt onto the game table  2  for each game. The card disposal apparatus  1  includes a disposed card receiving board  5  for receiving the cards  3   a  to be disposed of from the discharge opening  4 , a disposed card information acquiring means  6  that obtains information on the number (rank) and the type (suit) of each card  3   a  placed in the discharge opening  4 , a group information acquiring means  7  that acquires the group information of each card  3   a  to be disposed of, a card counter  8  serving as a number counting means that counts the number of the cards  3   a  that are placed in the discharge opening  4  for disposal, an authenticity determination means  9  that compares the group information of the cards acquired through the group information acquiring means  7  with predetermined group information, thereby determining whether the group information of the cards matches the predetermined group information, and an output means  10  that outputs the result of the determination made by the authenticity determination means  9 . 
     The card disposal device  1  also includes a deck examination means  13  that counts the number of cards  3  at least for each number (rank) by integrating the information acquired from the disposed card information acquiring means  6  and the information of the card counter  8 , thereby determining whether the number of the cards  3  put in the discharge opening  4  matches the predetermined number. The card disposal device  1  includes a control device  14  that performs an overall control of the card disposal device  1 . Each means described above is arranged in the control device  14 , which controls the operations thereof. The control device  14  is configured with an electronic circuitry that includes a microcomputer, memory and the like, and has the configuration of a general computer, such as a CPU, ROM, RAM or the like. The control device  14  performs the overall control of the card disposal device  1  by executing programs stored in the ROM or other memories, thereby performing the necessary processing. 
     A feed roller  15  for feeding the cards  3  to be disposed of one by one from the disposed card receiving board  5  is provided below the disposed card receiving board  5 . The feed roller  15  is rotatively driven by a drive motor  16 . The drive motor  16  is a stepping motor. When a card  3  is placed on the disposed card receiving board  5 , a card sensor  17  detects the card  3 . Then, the control device  14  controls the drive motor  16  to rotate the feed roller  15 . In this manner, the feed roller  15  feeds the card  3  on the disposed card receiving board  5 . The card  3  being fed by the feed roller  15  is moved forward in the direction of a disposed card stocker  19  (the arrow D) by a pair of forwarding rollers  18 . The movement of the forwarding rollers  18  is controlled by a feed motor  16   f . The moving speed of the forwarding rollers  18  is set such that the card  3  is forwarded in a speed faster than the speed in which the feed roller  15  feeds the card  3 , and thus the card  3  is drawn by the forwarding rollers  18  and forwarded toward the disposed card stocker  19  (the arrow D) for certain. The information on the forwarded card  3  is detected and acquired by a group information acquiring sensor  20  and by two card information acquiring sensors  21 . 
     The group information acquiring sensor  20  is connected to the group information acquiring means  7  that acquires the group information from the card  3 . Also, the card information acquiring sensors  21  are connected to the disposed card information acquiring means  6  that acquires the information of the number (rank) of the card  3 , thereby acquiring the number (rank) information. Each card  3  that is forwarded to the disposed card stocker  19  is detected by the card counter  8 , and the number of cards  3  that passes through is counted. The signal of the group information acquiring sensor  20  is transmitted to the group information acquiring means  7 . The authenticity determination means  9  compares the group information of the card  3  acquired by the group information acquiring means  7  with predetermined group information stored in advance, thereby determining whether the group information of the card  3  matches the predetermined group information. If the authenticity determination means  9  determines that the group information of the card  3  does not match the predetermined group information, that card  3  is determined to be a false card, and the control device  14  lights a display lamp/display lamps  22  through the output means  10  that outputs the determination results, and transmits the presence of any false card to a management division or the like of a casino or the like. 
     When any card  3  is determined to be a false card by the authenticity determination means  9 , the control device  14  transmits such information to a voiding means (to be described later). The card  3  whose determination has been made by the authenticity determination means  9  is forwarded to the disposed card stocker  19 . The card disposal device  1  has a closed passage for disposed cards with which no card  3  can be removed before it reaches a disposed card carton  19   c  of the disposed card stocker  19 . 
     The information on the card  3  is acquired by the card information acquiring sensors  21  and the group information acquiring sensor  20  while it is forwarded to the disposed card stocker  19 . After the card  3  is determined to be a genuine card, a void hole H is made by a voiding means  26  such that the card  3  cannot be used anymore. For this purpose, each card  3  forwarded to the disposed card stocker  19  passes through the void means  26 . The void means  26  makes a void hole H on the card  3  with a hole-making means (such as a punch and a die, which are not shown in the drawings but will be described later). A card  3   h  with a void hole H then falls inside the disposed card carton  19   c  of the disposed card stocker  19 , and is received by the disposed card carton  19   c  made of paper or plastic that is provided in the disposed card stocker  19 . In Embodiment 1, the void hole H is created by the void means  26 , but a configuration is also possible in which a notch C is formed on a corner of the card  3 . In this manner, a void hole or notch is made on the card such that it cannot be reused after the disposal process and the checking of the number of the cards, thereby completely preventing the fraudulent reuse thereof. Note that a disposed card lock means  27  is provided in the disposed card carton  19   c  to prevent the fraudulent removal of any card  3 , and a fraud preventing device  25  of the control device  14  controls the disposed card lock means  27  such that only authorized operators can remove the disposed card carton  19  with a key or the like. 
     The disposed card carton  19   c  is removed frontward in the direction perpendicular to the drawing in  FIG. 1 . After a card  3  enters the voiding means  26 , it is impossible to access the card  3  from the outside until the card  3  reaches the disposed card carton  19   c , and thus no card  3  may be fraudulently taken out. The disposed card carton  19   c  is made of paper or resin, and may be sealed by a sealing device  28  (by means of thermal bonding, lock stitch or the like) before removal. As described above, although only supervisors in a casino or the like can remove the disposed card carton  19   c , with a key operation or the like, the disposed card carton  19   c  is sealed and thus it is impossible to remove or directly touch the cards  3   h  to be disposed of (“disposed cards  3   h ”). 
     The disposed card carton  19   c  of the disposed card stocker  19  can be attached/detached to/from the disposed card stocker  19 , and is made of paper or a plastic material so as to be capable of being disposed of or shredded by a shredder or the like while containing the disposed cards  3   h  inside. Therefore, it is possible to dispose of the disposed card carton  19   c  with the disposed cards  3   h , which makes the disposal operation simple and economic. 
     The deck examination means  13  will be described next. Generally, a plurality of decks (4, 6, or 8 decks) of cards are set in the dealing shoe  200  (electronic shoe) that is placed on the game table  2 . Although the cards inside the dealing shoe  200  are dealt in each game, all the cards are never used up. The cut card (not shown) or the like is inserted in the plurality of decks (4, 6, or 8 decks) of cards in the dealing shoe  200  for security purposes, and when the cut card is drawn, the cards inside the dealing shoe  200  will no longer be used All of remaining cards  3   r  are placed in the discharge opening  4  for disposal. 
     The information on the number (rank) is acquired from these remaining cards  3   r  by the disposed card information acquiring means  6 . The deck examination means  13  combines the information of the number (rank) acquired through the disposed card information acquiring means  6  from the remaining cards  3   r  with the already-acquired information of at least the number (rank) of the cards  3   a  used in the games. Then, the resulting information and the information from the card counter  8 , which serves as the number counting means, are used in an integrated manner so as to obtain the number of cards for each number (rank) of the cards. Thereafter, with respect to all the cards  3  that are placed on the game table and then placed in the discharge opening  4 , it is determined whether, for each number (rank), the number of cards matches the number corresponding to a predetermined number of decks (whether there are 32 cards (4 suits.times.8 decks) for each number, from Ace to King). 
     The total number of the cards  3  used in a table game is determined in advance in a casino or the like (normally, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 decks). For example, in the case of 8 decks, of the 416 cards  3  (52 cards.times.8 decks), there are 8 cards that will have the same suit and rank. In the control device  14 , the deck examination means  13  determines whether there are a predetermined number of cards  3  for all combinations of a certain rank and a certain suit. Then, through the output means  10  that outputs the results of determination, the display lamp/display lamps  22  is/are lighted in different colors depending on the results of the determination, and at the same time, the counting result of the number of cards  3  is transmitted to a general management division or the like  201  through a communication means  202 . 
     When the cards  3  that were already disposed of in the disposed card stocker  19  and the cards  3  that were not used in the game but were collectively placed on the disposed card receiving board  5  of the discharge opening  4  (which are also to be forwarded to the disposed card stocker  19 ) are added, it is expected that the total number of the cards  3  will be 416, which corresponds to the number of cards  3  that were first set in the dealing shoe  200  (52 cards.times.8 decks). In the case of a card set that includes 8 decks of cards, the deck examination means  13  determines whether there are 32 cards for each of the 13 ranks (in total, 416 cards) based on the information obtained from all of the 416 cards (52 cards.times.8 decks). 
     Next, the cards  3  used in the card disposal system for the table game according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described. For each card  3 , a code  102  by which the number of the card  3  is encoded and which is composed of marks M that are invisible under normal conditions is placed on the upper side and the lower side of the card  3  in a point-symmetric manner. The code  102  is configured by a combination of the number and the arrangement of the plurality of marks M printed in infrared or ultraviolet reactive ink or the like that are invisible in daylight. Also, the card  3  includes a group code information  103  that is used as an authenticity determination code, and the group code information  103  is created by coding information that indicates the authenticity of the card, and arranging the coded information by printing or the like so as to be invisible under normal conditions (for example, in ultraviolet reactive ink). The code  102  and the group code information  103  are arranged in at least two positions on the card  3  in a point-symmetric manner using the center of the card  3  as reference. 
     The code  102  is read by the two card information acquiring sensors  21  that configure the card information acquiring sensor  21 . The card information acquiring sensor  21  is configured to produce an output signal upon detection of a Mark M (a known ultraviolet responsive optical sensor or the like is used). The relation between the marks M and the output of the on signals from the two UV sensors (the output of electrical signals produced when the code  102  configured by the marks M is read) are shown in  FIG. 3 . It is possible to identify a predetermined arrangement pattern of the marks M based on the comparison results of the relative changes in the output of the on signals from the UV sensors with respect to the code  102  configured by the marks M. As a result, in the example shown in  FIG. 3 , in two rows (the upper and lower rows), four types of arrangement patterns of the mark M are possible, and since patterns are printed in four columns, it is possible to form 256 types of codes (4.times.4.times.4.times.4). Fifty two (52) playing cards are each assigned one of the 256 codes, and the relations of such assignment are stored in a memory or by a program as an association table. A configuration is thereby adopted in which the disposed card information acquiring means  6  can, by identifying the code  102 , identify at least the number (rank) of the card  3  based on that predetermined association table (not shown). Preferably, the code  102  is printed with a paint material that becomes visible when irradiated with a UV ray, and placed in a position where it does not overlap with the suit indications  301  of the card  3  or indexes  302 . Also, a space  303  is provided between each of the code  102  and the group code information  103 , and the edge of the card  3 . Also, the group code information  103  may be printed in the same position with an ink to represent the group code information in the code  102 . 
     Next, the authenticity determination means  9  will be described, the authenticity determination means  9  determining the authenticity of a card  3  based on the information relating to its authenticity. As described above, a card  3  whose authenticity is to be examined includes a group code information  103  serving as the group information; the group code information  103  is created by encoding information that indicates the authenticity of the card  3 , and is formed so as to be invisible under normal conditions (for example, in ultraviolet reactive ink). The group code information  103  is a substance or material (such as an ink or paint material) itself that emits, as a code, light rays of different wavelength spectra when irradiated with light rays of different wavelengths. The group information acquiring sensor  20  emits invisible light rays of different wave lengths onto the group code information  103 , and receives light rays of at least two different wave lengths emitted by the group code information  103 . Then, the authenticity determination means  9  has a function of determining whether the ratios of the intensities of these light rays are the same, thereby determining the authenticity of the card  3 . A configuration is also possible in which light rays of different wavelength spectra are received and two or more light rays of more complex wavelengths are analyzed. 
     A polymer material, DNA material or the like that has a molecular structure with which a light ray of a specific wavelength is emitted against light is used as a substance or material that emits light rays of different wavelength spectra against invisible light rays of different wavelengths (ultraviolet ray, infrared ray, etc.); this serves as the group information. A polymer material that has a molecular structure with which a light ray of a specific wavelength against is emitted against light is printed in the upper and lower edges of the card  3  as shown in  FIG. 2 , as the group code information  103  serving as the group information. The group code information  103  cannot be recognized by human eyes under normal use conditions (daylight, natural light, or the like). The group code information  103  is read by the group information acquiring sensor  20 . Also, the group information may be mixed with an infrared or ultraviolet responsive ink for printing the code  102 , which is used for identifying the number (rank) of the card  3 , as printed. Each group code information  103 , which serves as the group information, within the infrared or ultraviolet responsive ink, cannot be recognized by human eyes under normal use conditions (daylight, natural light, or the like). The light source for reading the group code information  103  is integrally provided with the group information acquiring sensor  20 . In Embodiment 1, LEDs that emit ultraviolet rays of two different wavelengths (UV LEDs) are used as the light source (not shown). 
     The group code information  103  that serves as the group information is printed independently and in the same position at least for each unit of a card deck, as described above. However, a configuration is also possible in which the group code information  103  is configured using a certain substance or material that serves as a code, and such a substance or material is contained in a coating material, anchor coating material, in the ink to print the back pattern, mark, index, or the code to indicate the number of the mark on the surface of the card. When the group code information  103  is read, the group information acquiring sensor  20  emits two types of ultraviolet rays, irradiates the group code information  103  printed on the card  3  with the rays, and receives the light rays of different wavelength spectra emitted by the group code information  103 . The control device  14  including the authenticity determination means  9  is configured with an electronic circuitry that includes a microcomputer, memory and the like; has the configuration of a general computer, such as a CPU, ROM, RAM or the like; and performs the processing to determine the authenticity of the group code information  103 . 
     Embodiment 2 
     Embodiment 2 of the table game system of the present invention will be described in detail below. In Embodiment 2, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same configurations and elements used in Embodiment 1, so the description thereof will be omitted.  FIG. 5  shows an overall schematic diagram of the table game system of Embodiment 2. In  FIG. 5 , the game table  2  is depicted in a simplified manner, and appears as it is used in a normal baccarat game. As is well known, there is a player and a banker in a baccarat game. In Embodiment 2, both of the player and the banker are referred to as “player.” The dealing shoe  200  and a card disposal apparatus  350  are placed on the game table  2 . The dealing shoe  200  is the source for the supply of cards  3 , and cards  3  drawn from the card dealing shoe  200  are dealt to the players. When the game ends, the cards  3  are disposed of by the card disposal apparatus  350 . The dealing shoe  200  has a function of reading the information of the number (rank) and the type (suit) of the cards  3  dealt onto the game table. 
     Next, the card disposal apparatus  350  of Embodiment 2 will be described. The card disposal apparatus  350  of Embodiment 2 is placed on the game table  2  or on a side surface thereof. Cards  3  are disposed of through a disposal opening  354  after they are used in a game. A weight  356  is placed above a disposed card receiving board  355  for receiving cards  3  to be disposed of The weight  356  is placed to assist the feeding roller  15  such that the feeding roller  15  can sufficiently feed a card  3  even if the card  3  to be disposed of has been bent or the like during the game; the front and rear portions of the card  3  are pressed downward by weight rollers  357  and  358 . The weight  356  receives the card  3  from the direction indicated by the arrow P into the discharge opening  354 , as shown in  FIG. 7( a ) , and can also move upward so as to be capable of receiving even a bunch of cards  3  ( FIGS. 7( b ) and 7( c )  each show this state). 
     The card  3  being fed by the feed roller  15  is moved forward by a pair of forwarding rollers  18  in the direction of a disposed card stocker  359 . The card information acquiring sensors  21  for the disposed card information acquiring means  6 , which acquire the information of the number (rank) from the card  3 , are placed in the disposed card receiving board  355 . The card information acquiring sensors  21  and the group information acquiring sensor  20  respectively acquire information from the card  3  before the card  3  is forwarded to the disposed card stocker  359 . 
     As described above, once the cut card  3   c  is drawn, only a predetermined number of games are played thereafter, and then the cards  3   r  left unused at the end of such games are no longer used and removed from the dealing shoe  200 . The remaining cards  3   r  are then placed in the discharge opening  354  at one time (as shown in  FIGS. 7( b ) and 7( c ) ). Based on the information acquired from the cards  3   h  that were used in the game and already disposed of in the waste stocker  359 , and the information acquired from the cards  3  placed on the disposed card receiving board  355 , the deck examination means  13  determines whether there are a predetermined number of cards  3  for each number (rank) with respect to all the cards  3  placed in the discharge opening  354 . 
     A punching device  360  is provided between the feeding roller  15  and the forwarding rollers  18  as a voiding means for making a void hole H on the card  3 . If a card  3  is determined to be a genuine card, a single void hole H is made on the card  3  (an example of which is shown in  FIG. 2 ). If a card  3  is determined to be a false card, two void holes (the numbers of holes can be changed, for example three void holes) H are made on the card  3  (not shown). A variation is possible in which a void hole H having a different shape is made instead of two void holes H. A void hole or notch is created by the punching device  360 , thereby completely preventing reuse of cards by making it impossible to reuse such cards after the disposition operation and verification of the number of cards. 
     The cards  3   h  that have had a void hole H made thereon fall inside the disposed card carton  19   c  of the disposed card stocker  359 . The cards  3   h  that have had a void hole H made thereon by the punching device  360 , which serves as a voiding means, are received by the disposed card carton  19   c  that is made of paper or plastic and provided in the disposed card stocker  359 . 
     Next, the punching device  360  will be described in detail with reference to  FIG. 8 . The punching device  360  is configured using a punch  361  and a die  362  that are placed in such a way that the card  3   h  to be disposed of can be placed between them. The punch  361  is driven in the direction of arrow Z toward the card  3   h  (by a mechanism such as a motor), thereby making a void hole Hon the card  3   h  at a place between the punch  361  and the fixed die  362 . A slope portion  361 E is formed at the upper end portion of the punch  361  such that a void scrap  363  generated when the void hole H is made falls on the card  3   h . Due to this slope portion  361 E at the upper end portion, the void scrap  363  falls on the card  3   h  ( FIG. 9  shows such a state). Thereafter, the void scrap  363  and the card  3   h  fall inside the disposed card carton  19   c  with the void scrap  363  placed on the card  3   h . If a fraud detection means  12  detects the incorporation of any false card, two void holes H are made on the relevant card  3   h , and such false card  3   h  also falls inside the disposed card carton  19   c  with two void scraps  363 . Since the void scrap  363  falls inside the disposed card carton  19   c  with the card  3   h , it is not necessary to separately dispose of the void scraps  363 , which enables its efficient disposal. 
     The attachment and removal of the disposed card carton  19   c  to and from the card disposal apparatus  350  will be described below. The disposed card carton  19   c  is inserted to the card disposal apparatus  350  from the top as shown in  FIG. 10( a ) . A guide  19   g  having a cross section similar to a reversed angular “C” is attached to the disposed card carton  19   c  in advance in order to stabilize its shape. The disposed card carton  19   c  in which the disposed cards  3   h  are housed is removed upward, and then, the guide  19   g  is removed first (see  FIG. 10( b ) ). The disposed card carton  19   c  is made of resin or paper, and sealed with a sealing device  28  that performs the sealing through a known thermal bonding method or with an adhesive tape (by means of thermal bonding, lock stitch or the like) before it is removed for disposal (see  FIG. 10  ( c )). A lid  364  that only an authorized supervisor of a casino or the like can open with a key operation or the like is provided in the upper portion of the card disposal apparatus  350 , and the disposed card carton  19   c , which is closed by way of a sealing  19   s  so that no card  3   h  can be removed, is removed upward (see  FIG. 10 ( d ) ). The guide  19   g  has a package disposal space  19   sp . After the cards  3   s  have been set to the dealing shoe  200 , a package for the set of playing cards  3   s  can be disposed into the package disposal space  19   sp.    
     After the fraud detection means  12  has determined that the disposed card carton  19   c  of the disposed card stocker  19  is normal, and the deck examination means  13  has confirmed that the number of the cards matches the number of cards corresponding to a predetermined number of decks, an OK display ( 19   d ) as the result of the determination of the deck examination means  13  is exhibited, as shown in  FIG. 11 . This OK display may be exhibited by printing or stamping the letters “OK”. A device for exhibiting such a display on the disposed card carton  19   c  may be added. If the fraud detection means  12  has detected the incorporation of any false card, two void holes H are (or a hole having a different shape is) punched on the relevant card  3 , and an NG display is exhibited on the disposed card carton  19   c  of the disposed card stocker  359  as a result of the determination being “abnormal.” 
     The above is a description of Embodiments 1 and 2 of the present invention. As a variation of the present embodiments, the group code may be printed on the card  3  in a similar manner to that of the mark M or the group code information  103 . The group information, which indicates the group of the group code, may be different for each deck or for each plurality of decks of cards  3 . The group information may be differentiated for each casino or table where the cards are used, or for any other unit. The group information may be different for each card supply source (card shoe or the like). In addition, a different group code may be set for each manufacturing lot, or each casino that uses the cards. 
     In the embodiments described above, a polymer material is printed on the genuine cards  3  as the group code information  103 . However, in order to configure the authenticity determination code in a more complicated manner, a configuration may be adopted in which a card further includes a group code that contains the group information, which indicates the group of the card, and the authenticity determination code is printed within that group code. In this case, a configuration is possible in which such group code is read by a code reading unit that reads the code indicating the number of the card, or a configuration is also possible in which such group code is read by the group information acquiring sensor  20  of an authenticity determination unit from the authenticity determination code that indicates the authenticity of the card, and the group code is determined or distinguished by the authenticity determination unit. 
     It is also possible to configure the authenticity determination code in an additionally complicated manner through the improvement of the present embodiments by the following method: two or more substances such as polymer materials are selected, such selected substances whose reflected light rays have mutually different spectra are then used in combination, and the resultant complex is thereafter used as the authenticity determination code. Although an invisible ultraviolet responsive material and a UV sensor for detecting that material are used in the present embodiments, such invisible ultraviolet responsive material is an example of the group code information  103  that cannot be read by human eyes but may only be read under a prescribed condition. Accordingly, an infrared responsive material that is invisible to the human eye may be used instead. The group code information  103  of the playing cards may also include such information that is unique to the casino where the playing cards are used, or unique to each table in the casino or each seller of the playing cards. 
     Next, the card disposal system of further embodiment will be described with  FIG. 14 . In this further embodiment the set of cards  3   s  made up of a plurality of decks of cards is a shuffled playing cards shuffled to have a unique arrangement order and packaged in a package  404  and a uniquely identifiable shuffled card ID  403  being different each other attached to each shuffled playing cards as an ID code or RFID (IC tag); and the system has a barcode reader  100  or RFID (IC tag) reader (not shown) to reads the card ID  403  as ID code. 
     The card disposal apparatus  350  for disposing the cards in this further embodiment has the same configuration as the embodiment 2 and this has the same number in  FIG. 14  but wherein the deck examination means  405  adds every numbers of cards which have the same rank received by the discharge opening  354  and examines whether or not each numbers of the cards which have the same rank match the numbers of the cards in every ranks sent by the dealing shoe  200  through a communication means  406  and outputs the result of the examination. (if there is a mismatch or not) together with the card ID  403  to the main frame of a central computer system  400  of casinos or administrative sections. The dealing shoe  200  sends the rank of a card every time when the dealing shoe  200  reads a card and sends the rank of a card and numbers of the cards being read by the dealing shoe  200  by communication means  406 . The deck examination means  405  adds the numbers of cards, memorize the rank of the cards sent and display the number received by display (LED etc.). Also the deck examination means  405  adds every numbers of cards which have the same rank each received by the discharge opening  354 . The deck examination means  405  counts down the numbers displayed when it receives the cards by the discharge opening  354 . 
     When the dealing shoe  200  reads the cut card  3   c  the dealer at the game table stops using the set of cards  3   s  in the dealing shoe  200 . At this timing the deck examination means  405  examines whether or not each numbers of the cards which have the same rank match the numbers of the cards in every ranks sent by the dealing shoe  200  through a communication means  406  with every numbers of cards which have the same rank each received by the discharge opening  354  and outputs the result of the examination. (if there is a mismatch or not) together with the card ID  403  to the main frame of a central computer system  400  through communication means  406  or through the dealing shoe  200 ) to casinos or administrative sections. 
     When the timing comes that they have to change whole set of cards in the dealing shoe  200  after cut card has drown to the table and all the cards of the set of cards  3   s  received by the discharge opening  354 , the deck examination means  405  examines whether or not each numbers of the cards in every ranks received by the discharge opening  354  have the same ranks with predetermined numbers for predetermined decks sets (8 decks etc.) and outputs the result of the examination together with the card ID  403  to the main frame of a central computer system  400  through communication means  406  or through the dealing shoe  200 ) to casinos or administrative sections. 
     In the embodiments there is 256 types of codes (4.times.4.times.4.times.4). Fifty two (52, 13 ranks.times.4 suits) playing cards are each assigned one of the 256 codes, and the relations of such assignment are stored in a memory or by a program as an association table. As to the code  102 , identify at least the number (rank) of the card  3  based on that predetermined association table (not shown) and the relation between each association table or database is recorded in association with the shuffled card ID ( 403 ) and one of the plurality of association tables or databases is identified by identifying the shuffled card ID  403  with the barcode reader or RF ID reader and based on the association table or database identified, the dealing shoe  200  and the card disposal apparatus  350  read the code  201  from each card and the rank of the card is identified based on that code  102 . 
     The above is a description of the embodiments of the present invention. Of course, various modifications, additions and alterations may be made to the embodiments described above by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention. For example, any fraud in games other than baccarat may be detected with the present invention. The apparatus of the present embodiments may be modified as appropriate depending on the requirements of the game to which the apparatus is to be applied.