Quote:
Originally Posted by ComboProf
They'll be safe.
There are several threads here that discuss times when this was not the case. The casinos are not obligated to refund you if someone comes along and swipes your chips 45 minutes after you've left the table. It's usually the players at the table who keep your chips safe, not the staff, because the dealers push out regularly so after 30 minutes the new dealer at the table has no clue who the chips belong to. So if you show up, play silently for 5 minutes, and then disappear for an hour, don't be all that surprised if nobody remembers you when a stranger appears and cashes you out.
Generally you'll be fine making restroom runs and other quick trips out and about. But if you head to Outback and return an hour later, there's probably only a 99.998% chance your chips will be there, and you may or may not have luck getting the casino to reimburse you.
To improve your chances, make sure people know you. Say something about heading to dinner as you go to call attention to yourself, and take any cash or large chips off the table during your absence (and announce it as you're doing so--you will be replacing the cash/chips when you return). So if you have 8 $100 chips at the table, and 5 stacks of $5's, take the $800 with you as you go. Also, know how much was in your stacks as you go--count 'em (perhaps even count 'em so the cameras above can see it).
Or just fly dangerously and don't worry about it. That's what most folks do and they go forever without getting burned. It's not that common a problem.