Casino Etiquette: How to Behave at the Gaming Tables
4 minutes
Last Updated: March 8, 2023
If you are heading to the casino for the first time, then you need to make sure you understand the etiquette that you are expected to follow. When you go to the casino, your main goal will be to avoid trying to annoy other players.
You may know how to play blackjack online, but playing blackjack in person is very different. If you don’t know how to behave, then you are going to struggle and possibly embarrass yourself.
However, luckily for you, we have created this simple guide to help teach you on how you ought to behave at a gambling table.
Understand the Game
Before you sit down at any gambling table, you need to make sure you know how to play the game beforehand.
There are a lot of tutorials online which will help you to understand how to play almost every game available at a casino. In addition to this, there are real life classes you can take as well, to help get you up to speed.
By knowing how the game works beforehand, you won’t slow the game down with silly questions, which you should already know before sitting down.
Purchasing Chips
When it comes to managing the purchase of the chips you use to place your bets, casinos and dealers follow extremely precise protocols.
You place the money on the table and purchase these chips there. You should never hand the cash directly to the dealer.
Dealers do not exchange cash for chips until the completion of the last wager. Your task is to calmly wait for the dice to finish rolling, the roulette wheel to stop spinning, or the hand to be played out before asking for more chips.
You should also look for the notice at the table when sitting down. This will indicate any betting limits the table may have.
When to Touch Cards
The cards will be dealt either face up or face down depending on the casino card game you are playing.
Don’t touch the cards if they are dealt face up. You may touch any face-down cards that have been dealt. Yet, you ought to use just one hand and be delicate with the cards.
These policies are in place at casinos to stop cheating and miscommunication. Some players may attempt to mark aces or tens in order to get an advantage against the house in subsequent rounds. If you use both hands or hold the cards roughly, the dealer will likely warn you.
Watch How Much You Drink
Dealing with messy drunks is not something most people appreciate. Just refrain from drinking for the game’s entire duration if you are aware that you don’t handle alcohol well. If you stay sober, you’ll probably have far more fun and spend less money, anyway.
However, if you can handle your drink, then you are then welcome to drink in moderation at the table. If a waitress offers you a drink, remember to tip her.
Furthermore, if you are drinking at the table, be careful about what you do with your drink. No one wants to receive cards that have had alcohol spilled on them.
Don’t Talk About Other Players
You should avoid talking about and to other players about how their game or strategy is going. In fact, you should avoid talking about strategies at the table completely.
It is considered rude to talk about other players while at the table. This is because you are at the table to play your game, and the casino doesn’t want to drive players away from the table.
Don’t Ask the Dealer for Help
When you are stuck or having a bad string of luck, you shouldn’t ask the dealer for help, mainly, as they aren’t going to give you any.
This is because you shouldn’t be showing other players your hand, and the dealer doesn’t know the right thing to do.
They may have an idea on the strategy you are playing, but they don’t know what the right move is. Thus, they can’t be held accountable if what they have suggested doesn’t work.
Tip Staff
It is expected that you tip waitresses and dealers. You ought to tip your dealer just a couple of dollars for every hour you are at the table.
Even if you aren’t winning, this isn’t the dealer’s fault, and they haven’t been giving you bad hands on purpose.
You don’t have to tip your waitress the same amount every time they bring you a drink. You may start with a big tip to begin with and just give them one dollar for every drink afterward.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to casino etiquette at the gambling tables, it is all common sense. It is all about respecting the other players at the table and the dealer.
You should be aware of the rules of the game you are playing before you sit down at any table, to ensure you don’t slow the game down.
By following all the tips we have mentioned above, you will be able to behave accordingly when you next go to the casino.
