Casino Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules at Every Table

None of this is written into law. It is how casino staff keep games fair and readable for the cameras that watch every table, and how players avoid arguments over what was bet and when. A dealer who seems strict about where chips go is protecting you as much as the casino.

Before any of that, there is one hard rule. In Great Britain it is an offence to let anyone under 18 into a casino while it is in use,^{1 (source)2 (source)} and staff are expected to check the age of anyone who looks under 25.^{3 (source)} Bring photo ID on your first visit, even if you are clearly older; our age and ID guide covers what is accepted.

The dealer will usually ask what values you would like. A mix of smaller chips is easier to bet with; larger chips are easier to carry. At roulette you may be given coloured chips that only work at that table, which our guide to casino chips explains in detail.

If the table is busy and a hand is already under way, keep your money in your pocket until the dealer is ready. Putting cash on the layout mid-round can be mistaken for a bet. Some casinos also ask for a minimum buy-in at certain tables; the sign or the dealer will tell you.

Once you have chips, keep them in a neat stack on the rail or the table edge in front of your seat. That makes it clear which chips are yours and which are on a bet.

Signals matter because the camera records hands, not voices. Say the word as well, especially when you are new, so the dealer can confirm before acting. Once you have doubled or split, leave the chips where they are until the hand is settled.

Other players often have opinions about how you play a hand. Some believe a “bad” decision at third base spoils the table for everyone. It does not change the odds of anyone else’s hand, and you are entitled to play your own cards. If you want to learn the decisions that lose the least, our basic strategy chart sets them out, and the blackjack rules page covers the rest of the game.

Wait for the dealer to remove the marker, sometimes called the dolly, from the winning number before you place new bets. Reaching across the layout while chips are being cleared or paid is the quickest way to cause a dispute.

For bets you cannot reach, such as a number at the far end of the layout, place your chips in front of the dealer and call the bet clearly. The dealer will place it for you. Call bets on the racetrack, such as voisins du zéro, work the same way at tables that accept them. Our roulette rules page explains the bets themselves.

Colour chips belong to one player and one table. Do not use another player’s colour, and change them back to cash chips before you leave, because they have no value anywhere else in the casino.

Acting out of turn, such as folding before the player in front of you has decided, gives information to others and can change how the hand plays out. Many card rooms treat a verbal declaration as binding, so saying “raise” commits you even if your chips have not moved yet.

“String betting” means putting chips forward in several movements without announcing a raise first. It is not allowed in most card rooms, because it lets a player watch for reactions before committing. State the amount, or push it forward in one go.

At house games played against the dealer, such as three card poker, the etiquette is closer to blackjack: bet before the deal, keep cards on the table and make your play-or-fold decision without help from other seats. Our poker rules page covers both styles of game.

Some baccarat tables, often those with higher minimum stakes, let the player with the largest bet turn over the cards. Whether that is offered varies by venue, and the dealer will tell you if it is your turn. Bending or marking cards is not allowed unless the table rules say otherwise. The baccarat rules page explains why the result is fixed by the third-card rule whoever turns the card.

At craps, the shooter must throw both dice so they hit the back wall of the table. Using one hand, keeping the dice in view and not lingering over the throw all protect the game against switched or controlled dice. Other players keep their hands out of the landing area while the dice are in the air. Our craps rules page covers the bets.

Phones are a sensitive point because a camera or messaging app at a card table could be used to pass on information. Even where they are allowed, taking a call in the middle of a hand holds up the game for everyone. Step away from the table, and you will not miss anything that matters.

If you do want to tip after a good session, ask the dealer or a manager how the casino handles it. Where tips are accepted, a chip placed in front of the dealer with a word of thanks is usual. Drinks and food go on the rail or a side table, never on the layout, and the safest approach to alcohol is the same as for money: decide your limit before you sit down. Our safer gambling page lists tools and free support if you want help keeping a session in check.