...with "A casino cannot 'sell' a chip." Of course they can. What do you call it when a casino directly markets limited edition chips and sells them (directly from the casino) by mail. I have purchased chips in this manner from:

Mazatzal Casino, Payson AZ
Table Mountain Casino, Friant CA
Buffalo Billy's Casino, Cripple Creek, CO
(and others I don't remember off hand)

Perhaps you are referring only to Nevada casinos. I haven't purchased chips by mail directly from any Nevada casino. However, I have had a friendly Nevada casino host obtain and ship chips to me. This was not an "official" casino transaction.