It isa matter of who has jurisdiction. gaming commissions are administrative agencies (some adminisistrative agencies have their own courts, judges, etc-think IRS),but are still subject to judicial oversight. Let us presume that the chips were buried in MS, dug up,and bubba w/o consent took a shovel full. NJ may (probably does) have administrative authority over Playboy, possibly company who was supposed to destroy them, perhaps even manufacturer. ButBubba has nothing todo with NJ jurisdiction, his act was inMS. MS gaming authority did not exist when Playboy did. NJ can ask for help, but MSGC has no jurisdiction over these chips. Nor are they the properauthority to prosecute theft. Bubba is under the jurisdiction of the local courts and the local prosecutor.
Having been a local prosecutor, what do they all have in common-not enough money, not enough time, not enough staff, too many cases (with real time victims). And remember, we haven't even begun to discuss defenses, mens rea, or abandonment of property and a waiver of rights. The more likely outcome is Bubba will givehis Uncle the deputy sheriff one of the chips, and all is good.
