We book fun casino tables for milestone birthdays all over the UK. Real tables, proper croupiers, and fun money only, so nobody's spending a penny of their own.
Why a casino works so well for birthdays
Birthday parties tend to bring together people who don't know each other. Work friends, family, the gang from the pub. They'll stand in their little groups all night unless something gets them mixing. Put them round a roulette table and in ten minutes they're high fiving strangers.
It's also easy on the host. You don't have to keep the party going, because the croupiers do it for you. You get to actually enjoy your own night.
Where you can have it
Pretty much anywhere with a bit of floor space. Function rooms, pubs, golf clubs, village halls, marquees in the garden, even a big living room for a small party. As a rough guide, each table needs an area of about three metres by three metres so people can stand round it.
The tables don't normally need power, which helps if you're in a marquee or a hall with sockets in all the wrong places. If you've booked a venue, check whether they have any rules about outside suppliers and let us know.
Make it about the birthday star
This is where it gets fun. Personalised fun money with the birthday boy or girl's face on the notes always gets a laugh, and people take them home. You could also:
- Give the birthday star a special stack of chips to start with
- Name a bet after them at the roulette table (ask the croupier, they're usually happy to play along)
- Make the top prize something personal, like choosing the next song or the first slice of cake
- Theme the whole night, from Bond to Vegas
A few ideas by age
There are no rules here, but some pairings just work.
- 30th: a Vegas night, loud and a bit silly, with roulette at the centre
- 40th: Bond and black tie, so everyone gets to dress up properly for once
- 50th: Monte Carlo, with evening wear, low lighting and a bit of jazz
- 60th and beyond: a relaxed casino with the grandchildren dealing in alongside the croupier, which always goes down a treat
Which tables to go for
For most birthday parties of 40 to 100 guests, one or two tables is plenty. Roulette is the crowd pleaser, simple to pick up and great to watch. Blackjack is quick and sociable. If there are a few keen poker players in the family, a poker table is a good shout, but it suits people who know the game a bit.
As a rough guide, a table handles 15 to 25 people playing at a time. Not everyone will play at once, so don't over order.
How long to run it
Two to three hours is about right for most parties. Start the tables when most people have arrived and had a drink, and finish with a count up and a prize draw before the cake comes out. That way the night builds to something.
Prizes are up to you. Because it's fun money and prizes are given out raffle style, it isn't gambling. For prices, see our price guide, and for theme ideas try our casino themed party ideas.
Roulette table hire
Blackjack table hire
Poker table hire