“When the president is under investigation, it’s a good time to cash in chips,” said Timothy Naftali, a presidential historian at New York University.

In addition, if an individual wins reportable gambling winnings at a table game and seeks to cash in chips at a cashier, the cashier asks the individual for identification to compete a Form W-2G and consults the VEP participant list before making payment.

The trouble came when several guests tried to cash in chips, and the hotel refused to honor them.