Automatic playing card shuffler and other card-handling devices configured to detect marked cards and method of using the same

A card shuffling device comprising:

• one or more mechanisms for automatically moving individual playing cards from one or more decks of playing cards in a card input position to a card output position in a manner to randomly shuffle the one or more decks of playing cards;
• one or more illuminators configured to emit light off of playing card backs as said one or more mechanisms move said playing cards from said card input position to said card output position, said one or more illuminators further configured to emit light in incremental wavelengths between near IR to UV wavelengths;
• one or more contact image sensors configured to capture images of said card backs based on intensity of light reflected off of said card backs;
• and
• a processor configured to cause a comparison of each captured card back image against all other card back images captured during a shuffle of said one or more decks of playing cards to identify undesirable markings associated with any of said playing cards within said one or more decks of playing cards.

A method of shuffling playing cards and identifying marked playing cards comprising:

• mechanically moving individual playing cards from one or more decks of playing cards in a card input position to a card output position in a manner to randomly shuffle the one or more decks of playing cards;
• emitting light incrementally in wavelengths between IR and UV wavelengths off of playing card backs as said one or more decks of playing cards are moved mechanically from said card input position to said card output position;
• and
• utilizing one or more contact image sensors to capture images of said card backs based on intensity of light reflected off of said card backs;
• and
• configuring a processor to cause a comparison of each captured card back image against all other card back images captured during a shuffle of said one or more decks of playing cards to identify undesirable markings associated with any of said playing cards within said one or more decks of playing cards.

A card-shuffling device for shuffling playing cards comprising:

• one or more mechanisms for automatically moving individual playing cards from one or more decks of playing cards in a card input position to a card output position in a manner a first group to randomly shuffle the one or more decks of playing cards;
• one or more illuminators configured to transmit emit light off of playing card backs as said one or more mechanisms move said playing cards from said card input position to said card output position said first group of playing cards into a second shuffled group of playing cards, said one or more illuminators further configured to incrementally transmit emit light in incremental wavelengths between near IR to UV wavelengths;
• one or more contact image sensors configured to capture images of said card backs based on intensity of light reflected off of said card backs;
• and
• a software application for creating a normal range, based on captured images of each of said playing cards in play at live games across one or more game tables, for purposes of comparing each captured card back image against all other card back images captured during a shuffle of said one or more decks of playing cards to identify undesirable markings outside of said normal range, including at least one or more of the following:
• smudges, nicks, scuffs, edge demarcations and/or asymmetric patterns.