As I was going to the bathroom, I walked by a guy I was playing poker with who was waiting in line to cash his chips out.
Since we was neighbor's at the table, and it was an all around friendly table, he says to me, " I found a green chip($25) on the floor" .
My immediate reaction was to tell him to not keep it. I told him there's cameras all over the place and he could get in trouble and that it's not worth it. He agreed and said he'd tell the floor.

Was I wrong in this? Should I have just minded my own business?

You're not wrong. Technically it is theft.

Two different issues here:

1- If you had found it, what would you do? The laws on lost property vary by jurisdiction. In general, you are supposed to turn it in to authorities, and if the "true owner" doesn't claim it within a set period of time (30 days is a typical time) then ownership reverts to the finder, you.

But many people doubt that casinos follow the law here and suspect that they would never see that money again if they turn it over. There are also issues about who actually owns the chips, since in some places the casino always retains ownership.

Assuming you don't have any reasonable guess for whose it really is... For a small amount like $25, I would probably just keep it, and if security taps you on the shoulder some day telling you it was reported lost and they saw you pick it up, then just be prepared to hand it over then. For a larger amount I would turn it in, but also request a receipt, and make sure to read up on your local law and follow up as needed. Perhaps turn it in to the police, rather than the casino.

2- In your actual situation where someone asks you, I would...tell them what I would do, as above. They asked, after all.

If you just saw it happen and saw someone else just pick it up and keep it and somehow knew it wasn't theirs, then that's a little fuzzier. I might tell a nearby floor about it, or I might not, depending. If I saw it was a high denom I would likely tell someone.

Our official policy (which is routinely ignored) says under $25 give it to the nearest guest. Anything more and you notify security + surveillance.

What if the amount is equal to $25?

Seems like that would be "more" than an amount "under $25".

Seems pretty close to what I would do...$1 or $5 chip, I'd pick it up and say "hey, found this on the floor" then give it to the dealer as a tip. Any bigger chip I'd just ignore it as I'd rather not be involved, unless I knew 100% it was mine.

In a stunning sight to see IMO. A $25 was found on the floor between Seat 1 and the Dealer. Seat 1 is known for going north and south with his stack. Floor comes over and picks up the chip and shows it to Seat 1 and asks if 'anyone' lost a green chip. Seat 1 actually shakes head right away and no one else speaks up. Floor promptly drops it into the Dealer toke box which was hung directly above where the chip was found!

Not sure the rules of this casino and I haven't had a chance to ask the Floor about the scenario directly as of yet ... but a nice bump to the toke box for sure. GL

Unless you are starving to death and have no hope for any income , I would just ignore it or tell some nearby casino employee about it. Likely some places would not care at all about it , but others likely will . IDK which ones they are.

This is the correct answer. Never keep the money yourself, and never even acknowledge that you saw ut if it is significant money.

Kind of sad that none of us trust casinos enough to turn it in to lost and found. At least not without much hassle (best case) or casino theft (worst -most probable?- case)

just pick it up and put it in your pocket its not rocket science

My Thanksgiving dinner host yesterday told me a story from his recent trip to Vegas. I believe this happened at the Luxor. Frank said he went to get $ out of the ATM and there was a receipt still in the machine, and $400 still in the slot. He pocketed it, went to his room, where his wife talked his conscience into turning it in. So he went back to the floor and found someone in "management" - his words, not sure who it really was. The management person essentially told him to keep it and as far as he cared he and Frank never interacted and he knew nothing about it. I told Frank I was very surprised at that result and that the "management" guy just didn't want to deal with it.

The ATM has a record of all its transactions, and photos of visitors who approach it.

With some good facial recognition software ... ... ...

With Redbirds even greenies you are probably fine. But with pumpkins and flags it does not work that way. The old childhood rhyme...Finders keepers, Losers weepers is not how the real world works, particularly in a place where that can with effort probably determine where and when you acquired the chip.

think you did the right thing

I don't even pick up chips or money off the floor at my local casino unless I specifically saw someone drop it and I'm picking it up to return it to its rightful owner. My home casino is "zero tolerance" when it comes to patrons picking up any dropped/lost money or chips, so it's not even worth the hassle.

In the poker room at said casino, a woman reg in her 50s was banned for a month over a red bird earlier this year. Apparently the chip was already on the floor by the table she sat down to, and she covered it up with her foot for a while before finally picking it up. Turns out the red bird fell out of that table's well, and security went through the footage over the well's $5 shortage. Of course this is a bit different than lost patron money, and the strictness of these rules vary from room to room just like any other house rule, but at my home casino i've trained myself to walk past anything of monetary value I come across and never pick it up.

Ive lost a $100 chip out of my pocket twice. i also found a $100 chip once. Pocket variance!

The internet lawyers are gonna tell you it might be illegal, which is technically accurate, but the reality is that not only is the punishment incredibly light for petty theft, your obligation under the law is nearly impossible to police. for example, if the casino told me that i was banned for pocketing a redbird, I would promptly tell them I had followed protocol and turned it into the police, and they are welcome to pick it up from there. Of course they could still ban you if they hate money as much as that casino does, not much you can do there. If the police questioned me, id say I believed it had fallen put of my pocket, or that my intention was to turn it in. There are an endless number of lies you can make. As an example New jersey law, you can only be charged with theft for picking up lost property if you can be proven (among other things) to know the identity of the owner.

At the room I deal in, I find chips all the time. I usually find them when cleaning up.

Sometimes I see chips near/underneath a player's chair. One time, I saw a $5 chip under the table, near the 7 seat's chair. So I picked up the chip, and said to the guy, "Hey you dropped this.".... I could tell by his reaction that it wasn't his, but was quick not to give up free money.

Now, I just always bring them to the floor.

What about money? I found a 20 on the floor. I didn't wanna touch it because of stuff I've read here about picking up chips. I alerted the degen at the slots and she took it.