The Hobby protection Act does not apply. chips and tokens are not viewed under the law as collectables, but as temporary substitutes for cash. They (in theory) may only be used for the intended purpose of signifying an amount owed to the possessor by the casino issuing the chip.

I can imagine a number of scenarios where a person may 'repair' a chip for purposes other than fraud. The average citizen, altering an item for their own possession, would not be aware of the law, not prosecuted. Please note that their are some collectors who regard cleaning a chip as altering it.

So while I agree withg much of what you say,I do differ as written.