This could have been the MindPlay system, which tracks all the cards dealt. In addition, the chips themselves have electronics embedded to track betting amounts. It's a system designed to track player's betting more accurately, both for comp purposes and for detecting card counters.
So far, the system hasn't been very successful. It's expensive, and not all that reliable. It's also been involved in a lawsuit alleging that the casino used the device to preferential shuffle. That is, shuffle away player-favorable situations.
You can read more about the device at the manufacturer's website:
http://www.ballygaming.com/sds/mindPlay_products1.asp
As for your last question, the only control the casino has over the game favoring the players or the casino is the shuffle. If we assume that the shuffle does a decent job of randomizing the cards (or at least can't be manipulated by the dealer intentionally), then the game is random. I think that's a safe assumption.
However, casinos have sometimes been known to use the preferential shuffling I mentioned above to alter the odds of the game. If you're playing a game where the shuffle point is indicated with a separate 'cut-card' in the deck, that eliminates this concern.
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