Katie: I fully agree with Bob Orme. What is the casino's is the casino's and the removal w/o consent is theft in all U.S. jurisdictions. Having said that, I understand the "game" the roulette hunters play--they don't intend to disadvantage the casino by taking chips from lower value games and reintroducing them in higher games. The definition of theft is generally (each state will have it's own definition] to take personal proporty from another intending to deprive that person permanently of his right of possession or ownership. Since our roulette hunters have no intention of returning the chip to the casino, they are technically guilty of some degree of theft. But what's the solution? The casino know that some of us do not intend to steal for profit from the casino; they understand that we are hoarders and collectors. At some point, they might number their chips to keep them for play only in specific games. Then they could sell the chips at face. But until they do, roulette chips belong to the house and those of us who appropriate them, do so at our own risk. [And no, I've never taken so much as one roulette chip--but that's not because I am very honest and pure--it is because I am a terrible thief. If I snuck one into my pocket, my face would turn bright red, I would stammer and the casino gargoyles would be on to me in a moment.]