It's a complicated law, which I will try to summarize here. Blackjack is on the list of "permitted" games in Oregon, along with poker, pinochle, and a few others. The original state rule allowed games to be run "for social purposes only", and the businesses where they were located were not supposed to make $$ directly from the games. They were supposed to contract with operators to run the games, and "profit" by the additional business the games would generate (alcohol, food, etc.). These rules were often ignored or "lightly" enforced. Many games operated around the state, at local option (cities and counties had the option of either allowing or disallowing gaming). The Oregon Blackjack chips were made in the early 90s for such an operation, quite legal, and were used at various locations, as the operators literally brought their chips, cards, equipment along with them in many instances. At times there have also been many illegal operations across the state, as with all the other western states. The indian gaming statutes came into being during the mid 1990s, which have permitted more "wide open" gaming, with which we are more familiar, at the various indian casinos across the state. The "social gaming" rules still hold, and you can still find a few of these games around the state. I have many, many chips from Oregon, of all types, ages, and pedigress. Ack, someone needs to do an "Oregon book"!