Elaine Chosen
Before you head to any casino, you need to be aware of casino rules. This is really necessary if you want to avoid being kicked out of a casino just because you were unaware of certain rules, or if you want to save yourself from the judging eyes of your fellow gamblers!
So if you want to have an unforgettable experience playing casino games, we suggest learning their rules by heart.
In this article, we will enlist 20 rules of gambling etiquette that will be helpful for your first time at a casino.
1. Mobile Phones Aren’t Allowed
Before you enter the casino, you should turn off your cell phone; so that you don’t bother other players with distracting sounds or lights. And if you need to make a phone call, you should move away from any table where a game is being played.
If you’re not sure whether you can take photos in a casino, ask the staff, and they will tell you. We know that you are allowed to take pictures of a big win. Anything other than that just differs from casino to casino.
2. Dress Code in Casino
In some casinos, there aren’t a lot of strict rules related to what you should wear; they have a policy that allows visitors to dress a bit more casually. Unlike these casinos, there are others with strict rules. Namely, you must wear a shirt or something businessy.
If it happens that your outfit doesn’t comply with the rules of a casino, you will have to walk away and find a casino which you can enter, or you will have to go home and change.
Running shoes should also be avoided if you’re planning on visiting a casino.
3. Drinking the Right Amounts
It is very common for people to drink at a casino; what would suit you better while playing your favorite games than your favorite alcoholic drink? However, if you get hammered, you’re probably going to spoil the fun that other gamblers are having. This is the standard casino etiquette that you should respect.
4. Handling Chips
The first thing you should know when you approach a table is the maximum and minimum bet at the table. Information about the bets can be found on the boards. So, before you sit at a table, make sure you bet the right amount and not less.
When you want to buy chips, don’t bother the dealer, place the money on the table in front of you. The croupier will spot your money and change it into chips. You should never try to buy chips during a hand, spin, or a throw since that can shift the dealer’s attention, and possibly annoy your tablemates.
A lot of new players pose the question: “Can you take casino chips home?” Well, you can take them with you; but make sure that you take those with lower values. Otherwise, you will be losing money.
5. Cashing out the Chips
Before you want to cash out, you must arrange your chips in an orderly stack and wait for the dealer to count them. When you think that you have played enough, you must wait for the hand to be over, and then in between hands, you can cash out.
After the dealer gives you your money, it doesn’t look good if you count it in front of the other players. Do that when you’re away from the table where you’ve been playing.
6. Don’t Touch the Chips of Other Players
You are not allowed to tamper with other player’s chips, even if they asked you to. It is also not okay to ask someone, not even the croupier, to watch over your chips while you are away from the table, for whatever reason.
7. Be Cool, Calm and Collected
It is of utmost importance to stay calm even when you’re losing; everyone experiences that once in a while! So don’t take it personally and yell at the dealer or other players. Losing is an integral part of gambling.
We understand that it is frustrating when you lose a lot of money, but being in control of yourself is vital. The same applies when you’re winning — you shouldn’t shout that you won, since there are others who have lost that round!
8. Be Friendly, but Not Too Chatty
While it is okay to talk a bit with people who are open to it while playing slots, it is not okay to narrate your whole life story when the other person just wants to play.
9. Tipping the Dealer
If you’re a beginner, you really do need to know about this one. There is an established custom that you do have to tip the dealer during the play and/or at the end of the game. You should tip the dealer every few hands you play. The amount of money can vary from $1 to $5 (or more, if the stakes are higher).
Additionally, it is not mandatory to leave a big tip when you win big. When you’re finally leaving the table, five to ten dollars should be enough!
10. Pay Attention to Rules
Whether you are new to the world of casinos, or simply playing a game you haven’t played before, you need to know the rules of that particular game. You can get information about the rules by playing the actual game, reading about the game, or simply by taking a tour through the casino. And if you want to watch someone play, that’s okay too.
We know that reading might not be enough, so playing for free is a good way to get familiar with a game. Some people think that playing at online casinos and in land-based casinos are similar, but in fact, they aren’t! Some things that apply at online casinos might not apply in land-based casinos. Also, during gameplay, a player clicks the mouse, but in land-based casinos, players use their hand/hands.
11. Manage Your Bankroll
This is one of the essential rules you are advised to pay attention to, especially if you are just a beginner. You should only wager the kind of money you are comfortable losing.
But if you have spent too much, maybe it would be wise to start doing something else.
12. Keep Your Ideas to Yourself
It is okay to occasionally ask the dealer or co-players for advice, but there is nothing more irritating than someone who is hovering around you and constantly offering you unsolicited advice. It is also frowned upon to criticize the way other players play their hands or throw the dice.
13. Patience Is Highly Appreciated
It is normal to feel excited when you first visit a casino, but do try to be patient with other players. Wait patiently for the other players to be done with slot machines, and then sit and try your luck. It is most certainly not okay to hurry players to finish playing or to push them aside!
If you see someone who is eyeing the chair at the table where you want to play, ask them if they are planning to play at that particular table or not, so you can be sure.
In case you have played at the table where multiple people have won, you must wait for your turn to be paid out. You shouldn’t aim to get what is yours as soon as you see the money, because there is actual system dealers use to deal the winnings.
14. The Dealer Controls the Game
If the dealer says “no more bets,” you mustn’t put any more bets. We suggest that you watch how the games are played, so you can avoid unpleasant situations.
15. Being Aware of Others Around You
While you are at the table, you are allowed to drink and eat. Note that you do need to use cup holders, so you can avoid either spilling the drink or having someone else spilling it. When it comes to food, it is wise to eat non-smelly food, so you don’t spoil the focus of other players. Also, not ordering greasy food might be a good idea, because that way you won’t stain the chips with grease! That would be rude.
16. Casino Card Rules
You do need to look closely at how the dealer distributes the cards. If he/she dealt them face-up, you are not allowed to touch them. However, if the cards are dealt face-down, you can only use one hand to handle your cards.
In six-deck games, after the cards are shuffled by the dealer, one of the players will cut the deck with a “cut card.” Aim to cut the deck somewhere in the middle. Because if you cut it close from either end, the dealer will ask you to repeat it; but correctly, this time! This kind of situation might slow the game down a bit.
Those are two casino card game rules that you should know if you want to avoid angry comments from your companions.
17. Blackjack Etiquette
Being aware of blackjack etiquette and having good table manners is necessary if you want to fully enjoy playing this game. The most important thing about blackjack table etiquette is to learn and make the proper hand gestures. The kind of hand signals you make can indeed determine your hand, so do be careful!
If some players make a scene when they lose their money, security can go over the footage and determine what happened; since they are easily able to differentiate hand movements on the video. Because just in case you didn’t know, the dealers are indeed trained to spot hand gestures, rather than merely listen to the players.
18. Poker Etiquette
Being well-mannered is a plus while playing poker at casinos. You don’t have to pretend; just be polite in front of others, and that’s it! But if you don’t feel like talking, being silent is also an option. Everything that makes you comfortable while you’re playing is allowed, just as long as you don’t bother anyone else.
You have to continually pay attention to what is happening at the table, especially if it’s you who is about to play next. As you can imagine, there will be others who are going to rush you to play your hand in case you forget. You are advised to make quick and simple decisions if you want to avoid getting comments from the other players.
When it comes to making an action, you should say it out loud; nothing good will come out of not saying it in a tone that is inappropriate. By saying exactly what it is you want to do in a loud and clear manner, you will avoid confusion, along with any possible accusations of trying to take advantage by trying to hide your actions.
19. Other Casino Poker Etiquette Tips
You should never remove your cards from the table to hide your actions from casino security.
Also, you shouldn’t touch the chips if the cards have been dealt and you have placed your bet already. When you win a round, you are allowed to collect the chips. If the dealer themselves won a round, he/she will take your chips. So, to conclude, do not touch the chips when cards are being dealt, and don’t touch them before your hand is over.
If you happen to have two or more different denominations of chips, it is advisable to place the higher chips at the bottom of the stack, and the lower chips on top. If you don’t do this yourself, the dealer will do that instead of you, by stopping the game. So be sure to place them the correct way.
20. Roulette Etiquette
There are different chips for roulette. I.e., the chips are color-coded, and that’s how the dealers know how much each chip is worth.
Before you start playing at a table, you should exchange your cash for chips, and prior to moving on to another table game, you must convert your chips into money. It is important to know that chips are useless outside of the table where you have played beforehand.
