That is pretty messed up and sounds like a total overreaction.

If you ever get to plea your case to someone in power (not a security guard), I would think your explanation of being a collector (showing your website, etc) might calm the waters. Return the chips, take a banishment and never look back. (Greg Susong and I were persona non gratis at one Kansas casino after a crazy harvesting session turned ugly.)

This is however something which has been discussed for years. I've known riverboat casino management who see the taken of roulettes and tournament chips as stealing. They said they couldn't prosecute because it would be costly and a PR nightmare. However, they were VERY critical of the CCA for allowing "stolen material" to be sold openly at the conventions.

The casinos promote the idea of collecting with their LEs, but say other chips are off limits. If you ask them, they say the LE are for "souvenirs", and not intended to be something for hardcore collectors who are completionists and will come later and strip them blind.