Casino Etiquette – What You Need to Know
Recently updated on January 7th, 2022
Etiquette doesn’t only apply at the dinner table with family and friends. You are expected to have manners and behave a certain way in public spaces as well, casinos included.
Casino etiquette might not apply as much when you are playing casino games online. Online players are usually situated at home where nobody can see them. And, with online games, you are competing against the casino software mostly, so there’s no need to follow certain rules.
However, if you are planning a trip to a land-based casino soon, or if you plan on enjoying a live dealer game then you might want to brush up on what’s acceptable and what’s not.
Top 5 Gambling Etiquette Tips
1. Dress Code
A casino is a public place which means you cannot come dressed inappropriately. Out of respect for others, you must wear clothes that cover all the necessary bits and fits well.
Acceptable clothing items for men include trousers, jeans, formal shirts, casual t-shirts and closed off shoes or appropriate summer shoes. Of course, the casino won’t stop you from living out your wildest fashion dreams, just as long as it doesn’t make anyone else uncomfortable.
The same etiquette rules apply to the dress code for women. Overly revealing clothing items is not allowed and you will be turned away by security. To avoid this kind of embarrassment, make sure that you wear appropriate dresses, pants, jeans, decent length shorts, t-shirts and shoes.
2. Personal Behavior
A casino is one of the few places where adults can have some fun, but this doesn’t mean that you must act the fool. Good personal behaviour is another etiquette tip that you must adhere to. Casinos don’t take kindly to disruptive behaviour from players or staff. You will be asked to leave and you may even be banned from entering the premises again.
Unruly behaviour includes excessive drinking, yelling at other players and staff, getting violent, getting jealous or angry for no good reason, stealing, cheating and damaging casino property.
The next point is less important but try to stay off your cellphone if you are not attending to something important. It creates a bad impression if you are constantly on your phone while sitting around a casino table.
3. Respect the Dealers Decisions
In the outside world, they say the customer is always right. Well, at casinos, what the dealer decides goes and you should respect that. Dealers are there to facilitate the game, to make sure everybody follows the rules and that the outcome is fair. But, they are also there to help you have a good time. So, for the sake of your enjoyment, as well as the enjoyment of others around you, respect the dealer’s decisions. It’s also a nice token of appreciation to tip the dealer when you’ve won a nice sum of money.
4. Don’t Touch Chips That Aren’t Yours
Chips are very valuable when playing real money games. Therefore, it’s not acceptable to touch or steal other players chips. It’s your responsibility to keep your money safe and these tokens shouldn’t be used for anything else but betting.
5. Tipping the Dealer
Tipping isn’t allowed at every casino, but if it is, be sure to leave the dealer something if you can. But, this shouldn’t be a boastful gesture, gently hand the dealer the tip and keep it moving. At minimum poker tables an offering of $5 or more is nice. If you are playing in a tournament, at least 4% of your overall winnings is the usual standard. But at the end of the day this is your money and you can spend it how you please.
