Okay: Here's the results from my conversation with Las Vegas Mentalist Paul Draper.
I asked Paul the question as to weather or not card counting is illegal in Las Vegas to the extent of the casino being able to arrest.
I was wrong by my assumption that the casinos can arrest you.
Paul had the following things to say:
Casino's in Vegas are very much their own contries. They are private property, they have their own security, police, jails, food, etc.
If you are suspected or caught counting then the following would happen.
Two men in suits who are usually ex: Army Rangers, Navy Seals, or some other vocation with experience in hurting you in non physically visable ways, will approach you and ask you to leave.
Your chips are forfit, and you don't get to cash them in. You are banned from that casino and any other casino owned by the same company.
Here's where things get interesting. IF you just play along, and leave quietly nothing bad happens. IF you fight, argue, or put up a scene then they take you to a small little room and break toes, beat you up, etc.
They may choose to have the cops come out and detain you for a while, talk to you, warn you, etc. But they can not have you arrested.
Now, since casinos are private property and if you are asked to never come back, and you do; then you are now trespassing. Things change. They can have you arrested for tresspassing. Or worse physical things can be done to you.
Interesting to note: Casino's don't usually care if you get up only a couple hundred bucks or so. It's when you start winning lots of money or frequently that they begin to take interest.
So is it illegal? No. Should you do it? Probably not either. I'll have my words with some mustard and a side of frys.