Awhile back (the last time the subject of roulette chips waxed hot and heavy here), I asked Gene Trimble to send me a copy of Nevada's Chips and Tokens regulations. He kindly did so and I have been somewhat remiss in reading and commenting on them. (Belated thanks, Gene!)

Section 12.060, Paragraph 1, of Regulation 12 reads as follows:

"Chips and tokens are solely representatives of value which evidence a debt owed to their custodian by the licensee that issued them and ARE NOT THE PROPERTY OF ANYONE OTHER THAN THE LICENSEE." (CAPS are mine)

Paragraph 2(d) says in part: "A licensee that uses chips or tokens in its gaming establishment shall: Post conspicuous signs at its establishment notifying patrons that ... THE CHIPS AND TOKENS ISSUED BY THE LICENSEE ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE LICENSEE, ONLY ...." (CAPS are mine)

Based on these regulations, I take back nearly everything I said previously and concede that ALL CHIPS, including roulettes, remain the property of the issuing casino, no matter where they might be taken by players -- hence, none of us OWN any Nevada chips.

Furthermore, there is nothing in the regulations which authorizes or permits a casino to avoid the terms of these regulations by selling or otherwise allowing removal of the chips from the casino. In short, it appears that they cannot legally transfer ownership of the chips to players (or collectors). It follows, logically, that none of us can legally remove ANY CHIP from a Nevada casino, no matter how much we "pay" for it.

Based on common law definition, then, anyone who removes a casino chip from a casino with intent to permanently deprive the owner of possession thereof is committing a theft. ANY CHIP, roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat, pan, etc.

BTW, under paragraph 12.090 of the regulations, the same rules apply to NCV chips, as well.

So, now what of the ethics of collecting Nevada chips?????????????????

----- jim o\-S