Casino Etiquette Worldwide: What Are Good Casino Manners?

Casino Etiquette

Whenever you leave your home and enter a public or private establishment, different sets of manners or etiquette apply depending on where you are and in what country you might find yourself. For example, if you, as a non-religious woman, find yourself in a mosque, it is considered common manners to cover your hair with a scarf. While this may not be your idea of common manners, you must apply the rules of the location you are visiting. If you enjoy a meal anywhere in Japan as a foreigner, you might wish to tip your server, but this would be terrible manners. In Japan, this gesture is considered very rude. Though it may seem nonsensical to you, you must apply the etiquette of the place where you find yourself, not the tipping etiquette of your home culture. In the same way, casino etiquette differs slightly from place to place, but there are some great basics that we can share with you to ensure that you’re always on your best behavior when stepping out for a night at the casino. You can also tip dealers when playing live games in online casinos like Borgata!

Electronics

While most modern casinos will not ask you to surrender your electronics (phones and tablets) at the door, there are definitely specific unwritten rules in place around these gadgets when you’re on the casino floor. Casino staff and security people are always on the lookout for players who may be trying to check in some way or take videos or photos of how things are run in their casino. If you are seen taking videos or pictures in a casino, you might well be asked to leave, however innocent your intentions were; sitting on social media while at any table is also a huge no-no. Not only is it incredibly rude, but this means that your full attention is not on the game and that you might be passing information to someone outside of the casino. Keep your electronics on vibrate and out of sight, and only take them out to take calls that absolutely cannot wait. Leave the casino floor if you need to take a call; not only is it safer for you and the casino itself, but it is also not good manners to sit yammering away while people are trying to concentrate.

Tipping

Tipping is encouraged in casinos to thank the dealers for the service that they provide to you. Without them, you would not be able to play all the casino games that you enjoy so much. Tipping the dealer extra is advised if you have a particularly good night or a table that seems hot for you (meaning that you win more than lose). The same goes for servers who carry drinks around the casino. They often work for minimum wage, and any tips you offer will undoubtedly be gratefully received. There are a few countries in the world where tipping is bad manners, though these are few and far between. For example, in Japan, it is considered very bad manners to tip, and you would not be welcome back to any establishment where you did.  If you think that you might be in one of these countries, the best thing to do is ask someone if tipping is appropriate. Tipping in online casinos follows more or less the same guidelines. If you are playing casino games with live dealers and you have a big win, tipping the dealer is a nice way to say thank you for their time. Each online casino is likely to have their own tipping system; we advise that you check on this before the game begins.

Asking for or Offering Advice

While a casino is a place to have a good time, be aware that the people around you are wagering what is hard-earned money. Offering unsolicited advice could make you look as though you are trying to put one over on the casino. It might also be irritating to players who know what they are doing or prefer to keep to themselves while they are playing. Asking for advice is also something of a no-no, even if you are new to gambling. While, as we mentioned, casinos are a place for fun, they’re also financial institutions of a sort. It is up to you to do your homework as a player before you head down to the casino. It’s OK to be a little nervous if it’s your first time, but doing the research that you need to before playing will help soothe those jangling nerves a bit.

Table Manners

While table manners at home and a casino are slightly different, they do have a few similarities. First among those is keeping your elbows off the table while a game is in progress (except for some moments in card games) because that is space that people need to use to play, not space for you to relax into! In casinos, that goes for your hands too. A game can not continue if hands are in the way or potentially trying something sneaky. If you walk up to a table where a game is already in progress, you must check with the players if it’s alright for you to join in. You may sit in any open seat at any time, that’s true, but joining a game mid-play might alter it for other players, so you should always ask instead of just forcing your way in. Don’t take up more space than your seat offers; don’t sit with your feet up on the bottom of another chair, and don’t sit with your legs wide apart as it might take up space meant for other players.

Final Word

Casino etiquette is mostly reasonably common sense stuff, but it’s good to have an idea of what is appropriate and what is not when you’re entering any impressive gambling venue. With these hints on hand, you’ll be able to gamble and tip (or not tip) responsibly and politely wherever you are. Good luck!