BOND said:
Only constructive opinions please..
Sucker was only trying to be helpful and give good advice, and as a general rule his advice is correct. MANY backoffs have taken place at the cage. Casinos can get better photos there. They have you disabled if your chips are not in your hot little hands. Backoffs at the cage are less intimidating for other players than if done at the table. So you don't want to give the casino that opportunity.
On occasion, you may not have a choice. If you're at some little place in Thudpucker, Iowa, about to leave for a 300 mile drive, and can't imagine why you'd ever want to return, you do what you have to do.
If you, or a friend, can return the next day on a different shift, or on repeated occasions, and cash in chips in amounts below the casino's hassle threshold, do it that way.
If you know that a casino always gives a hassle cashing large-denomination chips--don't accept chips of that size at the table!
Remember that you need to refrain from breaking down cashouts of $10,000 or more into smaller transactions for the purpose of avoiding a CTR filing.
If you think that you'll want to return to the casino in the future, and play again, you may have a good business reason for keeping chips. If you bring chips to the table when you play, you may avoid unwanted scrutiny that accompanies large cash buyins. Or you may know another AP who would like to buy chips from you for the same reason.
Shadroch, casinos do not issue cashier's checks. Only banks issue cashier's check. A casino check is a personal check, just like a check written by any other business or by an individual. Neither a cashier's check nor a personal check triggers a CTR filing requirement, unless it is "either in bearer form, endorsed without restriction, made out to a fictitious payee..., or otherwise in such form that title thereto passes upon delivery." (31 CFR § 103.11(u).)
For the most part, your aversion to a CTR will stem not from a desire to keep information out of the government's hands, but instead from not wanting to give your identity to the casino. There's not necessarily an advantage to requesting a check instead of cash for your chips, because although the casino won't file a CTR the casino will still get your identity.