Casino Dress Code – What to Wear in a Casino
8 minutes
Last Updated: February 15, 2022
Casino Dress Code – What to Wear in a Casino
The casino dress code is a topic many gambling enthusiasts aren’t familiar with. If your only experience with casino fashion is from the movies, you might think that you should always dress sharply when playing in a casino. Otherwise, you can’t get in.
While this is true for some venues, casino dress codes can significantly vary from one casino to another.
With that in mind, you want to be certain you’re following the casino dress code without needlessly overdressing.
The tips and guidelines we’ll share with you on this page will help you to know how to dress in a casino, from small venues to largest casinos in the world.
What Does a Casino Dress Code Mean?
When talking about casino dress codes, it’s essential to understand that it’s not a universal dress code that applies to every casino you’ll play at. What’s more, there are quite a few types of dress codes:
Smart-Casual/Casual Chic
The smart-casual casino dress code is more common in US casinos than in European ones. This is because many US casinos are simultaneously hotels or even all-around entertainment resorts.
That’s why you’ll likely have to get much better dressed if you’re playing in a Monaco casino than a Las Vegas one.
Although the smart-casual/casual chic casino dress code is the most liberal, it still includes some basic dress rules.
For example, men are required to wear an evening shirt with khakis, slacks, or chinos. They should also wear smart shoes, in any color of their choosing.
For the ladies, the casual chic look includes a casual, mid, or knee-high skirt or dress. Alternatively, women can also wear smart trousers with a simple blouse or shirt.
For footwear, they can choose between heels, pumps, flats, or even smart boots in some venues.
Semi-Formal
Semi-formal is the second most common casino dress code in most venues across the globe.
If you’re visiting the casino during day hours, you can manage by wearing a simple collared shirt, dark jeans, and matching leather shoes.
If you’re playing in the evening, this casino dress code does become a bit stricter, especially if you want to play a table game like craps.
Men should wear a tie, a dark suit, and dark shoes. Women can wear a simple cocktail dress or a pantsuit of any color, matched by high heels, flats, or pumps.
Formal
Formal casino attire often gets confused with semi-formal attire. Albeit there are many similarities, there are a few key differences to keep in mind.
The formal dress code always includes a full suit and tie for the gentlemen.
For the ladies, it implies the same dress rules as the semi-formal dress code, with the addition of an evening bag and an evening coat matching the cocktail dress or pantsuit.
Black Tie/Dinner Jackets
This dress code is most often applied during casino-hosted events. A black-tie dress code includes a white dress shirt, black bow tie, black dinner jacket, waistcoat, and black leather shoes.
For the ladies, this consists of a long evening dress and preferably high heels. This is how you should dress in a casino when visiting a gala event.
White Tie/Full Evening Dress
The most formal dress code is seldom found in casinos and is only required at high-class private events.
Men have to wear a white bow tie, white waistcoat, black shoes, and a black jacket with matching trousers. Additionally, they should wear accessories like cufflinks and shirt studs.
For women, this includes wearing a long evening gown and high-heels or flat shoes. They should also wear fine jewelry or accessories such as hairpieces, tiaras, or indoor dress gloves.
Tips on How to Dress in a Casino
Now that we’ve made the difference between each type of casino dress code, we can move to the next step – knowing how to dress on each occasion.
Here are a few valuable tips on how to make sure you’re always dressed right for the casino you’re playing in:
Research the Dress Code Upfront
You can find most of the information related to this online, directly on the casino’s site. An excellent way to determine the dress code is to look up the casino’s interior photos, which would most often be on the site as well.
Additionally, you can get a good feel of the dress code by researching the restaurants available in the casino. If it’s primarily bars, pizza places, and buffets, the casino’s dress code is most likely not anything over semi-formal.
Don’t worry too much. In most cases, the dress code is nowhere near as strict as you might thing watching gambling movies. Casinos want their players to relax and have fun.
Preparation Is Key
When you’ve determined what type of dress code you can expect in the casino, it’s time to prepare.
During this step, you shouldn’t miss any important aspect, from your clothing to any accessories that might be required.
Furthermore, don’t forget about the shoes.
Avoid sneakers, sandals, flip-flops, and similar footwear.
Of course, not everyone has a separate budget just for clothing suitable for a high-end casino. Factor this in at the start, as budget should play a significant role when choosing a casino.
Always Be Comfortable
Lastly, always make sure you’re comfortable in the clothes you’re going to play in at the casino. No matter how good you look or how expensive the clothes on you are, if they’re not comfortable, switch up.
Casino resorts are massive, and your sessions will likely last long, so make sure you feel comfy in the clothes you’re wearing.
Following Casino Dress Code – Key Things to Remember
It always pays off to check the casino dress code in advance. Doing so will help you avoid overdressing or, even worse, getting turned away at the doors.
Also, if you’re traveling to a casino resort for vacation, make sure to pack your bag accordingly to cover most dress codes.
The best way to be certain you’re always in line with the code is to dress casually when allowed and dress up comfortably when you’re going to a venue with stricter dressing requirements.
Lastly, if all of this seems like it’s too much to remember or keep track of, you can always play online! Playing online casino games has its unique perks.
Most notably, you can play from the comfort of your chair, dressed any way you like, and still enjoy all your favorite games, from slots to Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
