Discard rack with card reader for playing cards

A card verification station that moves playing cards and reads suit and rank of individual playing cards between a card in-feed area and a card collection area, the card verification station comprising:

• a card in-feed area with playing card moving elements that move individual playing cards from a set of cards in the card in-feed area,
• a card collection area that receives playing cards from the card moving area in the same order as playing cards are received in the card in-feed area,
• an image capture device that captures data from a playing card before the playing card is received in the card collection area, wherein the image capture device is capable of sending signals to an image-capture processor
• a card verification station processor capable of controlling the operation of the card verification station, and
• an elevator that raises and lowers to maintain a level at which playing cards are received in the card collection area.