A casino night is one of those party ideas that sounds simple and is. Get some tables in, hand out fun money, and people do the rest. But there's a difference between a casino night that ticks along nicely and one people are still talking about on Monday morning.
Most of that difference comes down to small decisions. When to open the tables. How to hand out the chips. What the prizes are. Where the tables go in the room. Here are the ideas we'd suggest to anyone planning one, whether it's for the office, a wedding, a big birthday or a fundraiser.
Start with the running order
Before you think about themes or prizes, work out when the tables will actually be open. This makes more difference than anything else.
For most events, the casino works best once people have eaten and had a drink or two. Before dinner, guests are still arriving and finding their seats. During dinner, nobody wants to leave their plate. After dinner there's often a slow patch while the room gets turned round or the DJ warms up, and that's exactly where a casino comes into its own.
Around three hours of play is the sweet spot. Long enough for everyone to have a go, short enough that the tables are still busy when they close. If you're running a long evening, you could open the tables for welcome drinks, close them for the meal, and open them again afterwards. It's worth asking about when you get a quote.
Get the fun money into people's hands
Fun money only works if people have it. Sounds obvious, but it's surprising how often a stack sits on a welcome table and half the guests walk straight past.
A few ways that work better:
- Put an envelope of fun money at each place setting, so it's the first thing people see at dinner
- Hand it out at the door with the welcome drink
- Tuck it into the cracker at a Christmas party
- Give each guest the same amount, so everyone starts level
Personalise the notes
Personalised fun money is one of those touches that costs a little but gets a lot of attention. Company logos are popular for corporate events. Couples put their names and wedding date on. Birthday notes with the birthday star's face printed in the middle get passed round the room and photographed endlessly.
People keep them, too. Months later, someone finds a note in a jacket pocket and it brings the whole night back. Not bad for a bit of paper.
Pick the right mix of games
Roulette is the one to start with. Everybody knows it, it takes no skill, and it creates a crowd. If you're having more than one table, blackjack is the natural second choice. It's quick, sociable and easy to pick up.
Poker is brilliant if you've got a few keen players, but it's the hardest game for beginners. Texas Hold'em can be run casually or as a proper tournament with a winner at the end. Three card poker is a quicker alternative played against the dealer, and it's worth asking about. Craps is less common at fun casinos, so if someone's desperate for it, ask and we'll check.
As a rough guide, one table handles around 15 to 25 guests playing at a time. Our post on how many casino tables you need goes into the numbers.
Put the tables where people can see them
Tables tucked away in a side room get less use. Tables in the main space, near the bar or along the route to the dance floor, get mobbed. People are drawn in by the noise and the crowd round the roulette wheel.
That said, don't put them right next to the speakers. The croupiers need to be heard, and players need to be able to chat. Somewhere with good light, a bit of space round each table (about three metres by three metres as a rough guide), and an easy flow of people is ideal.
Make the prizes worth playing for
Fun money has no value, so the prizes are what give the night an edge. They're entirely up to you, and they don't need to be expensive. Some ideas that get people competitive:
- A bottle of champagne or a decent whisky
- A voucher for a local restaurant
- An extra day's holiday (a big hit at office parties)
- Choosing the next song, or the first slice of birthday cake
- A silly trophy that sits on the winner's desk for a year
End with a proper prize draw
This is the bit people remember. Towards the end, have the croupiers close the tables and count up. Then get everyone together and announce the winners properly, with a microphone if you've got one.
Some hosts give a prize straight to the biggest stack. Others put the top players' names into a draw. Either way, prizes are handed out raffle style, and because it's fun money it isn't gambling. Build it up a bit. A drum roll never hurts.
Add a theme if you fancy it
A casino night doesn't need a theme, but it takes one really well. Bond is the classic, with black tie and martinis. Vegas is loud and fun. Monte Carlo is elegant. Great Gatsby brings feathers, pearls and art deco gold.
A theme gives guests a reason to dress up, which makes the photos better and the night feel more special. Have a look at our themed casino nights for more on each one.
Think about food
People at casino tables don't want to juggle a plate. If you're doing a buffet, keep it to things you can eat with one hand and put it away from the tables. Canapés work well. So do bowls of chips, sliders and mini desserts.
Keep drinks off the tables themselves if you can. A small high table nearby gives people somewhere to put a glass down while they play.
Don't forget the people who won't play
Some guests will never sit down at a table, and that's fine. They'll still enjoy watching. Leave a bit of space for spectators, especially round the roulette wheel. A good croupier will chat to the watchers too, and plenty of people who said they'd never play end up having just one go.
When you're ready, send us your date and we'll come back with what's free and a price, usually the same day.
Roulette table hire
Blackjack table hire
Poker table hire