if i understand what has been written so far it's okay for a casino to make chips and give them to an individual for their use and control without any release to the general public - sometimes this practice stinks while other times it's Okay.

In a the case wherein a casino makes and releases chips to an entertainer in order to get that entertainer to perform at their casino is okay - the entertainer usually wants the chips as an ego thing not for holding, driving the price up and then selling (do we really think that someone who makes millions is really worried about a few thousand dollars) - this therefore is okay.

But, in the case where an individual, who has connections within a casino, can get that casino to make chips for him/her for the sole purposes of his/her controlling distribution and making large sums of money for themselves is not okay and this practice would not be benefical for the hobby. If that chip(s) is redeemable by the casino then they are a collectable otherwise they are just a souvenir.