How-To

How To Throw The Perfect Casino-Themed Party

By Jacob Smith November 7, 2022

6 minute read

Casino-themed parties are hugely popular. After all, it gives you and your friends an opportunity to dress up, have a few drinks, and gamble the night away. What’s not to love about that?

Unfortunately, planning a casino-themed party is nowhere near as fun as attending one. In fact, it can quickly become a chore.

To help you out, we’ve put together this step-by-step guide that tells you everything you need about throwing casino parties, from guidance on the law to what games you should play.

Take the guesswork out of party planning and read on to make sure that your party is perfect in every way.

Step 1: Check The Law

It’s important to state at this point that holding a commercial casino night without a license is very, very illegal almost everywhere in the world.

It could land you with hefty fines and even prison. So please don’t do that.

Remember, in the US gambling laws differ widely from state to state, so it’s important to check that whatever you’re planning complies with federal, state, and local laws.

But rest assured, you only need a permit if you’re running a casino business and profiting from real money wagers. Holding a casino party for fun at home is completely legal.

Often the best way to stay on the right side of the law is to play it safe by providing your guests with play chips (instead of cash) and awarding a prize for whoever finishes the night with the biggest heap.

Hosting a casino-themed fundraising party is slightly more complicated with every state having its own unique laws. So, be sure to check out our other guide if you’re looking to raise money for charity.

?? How To Legally Host A Gambling Fundraiser

Also, don’t forget that for both parties and fundraisers you need to be sure that alcohol doesn’t fall into underage hands.

If minors are going to be attending be sure to have a system in place to check IDs.

Step 2: Work Out Your Budget

The great thing about throwing a casino-themed party is that it doesn’t have to break the bank.

You can always host it at home or in the office; just buy a few green tablecloths to throw over tables or desks and you’ll get an instant casino feel.

Card games are the easiest and cheapest games to organize; all you need is a few decks of cards and some tokens to act as chips.

However, if you have a bigger budget you can set about building the party of your dreams.

This can include hiring out a location, renting proper casino games such as roulette wheels and slots, or even bringing in professional dealers and live music!?

Either way, the most important thing to do is work out your budget before you start planning the party and to make sure that you stick to it.

After all, you don’t want to run out of money halfway through the planning process.

Step 3: Choose Your Location

The location will depend on your budget. Can you afford to rent out a space?

If not, having it from the comfort of your own home can work too. Decorating the space with giant dice and playing cards will go a long way in giving you that casino feel.

Add in some playing tables and you may not even recognize your own living room.

If the party is for work, having it in your own home might not be appropriate. Instead, the office should be fine.

Just make sure to get the business owner’s permission and to make sure they are comfortable with the theme. The last thing you need is for the boss to come and shut the fun down.

If you have the money, hiring a venue will instantly add some glitz and glamor to your party. You could consider renting a function room in a hotel, or maybe even a marquee to put up in a garden.

Of course, the easiest way to throw a casino-themed party is to rent out an actual casino. There are many businesses which will help you find and rent out a space, whether it be a private room, or the entire casino.

This is an expensive choice for sure, but it will definitely make this party one to remember.

Wherever you decide to host the party be sure to choose a location that is neither too big or too small. No one wants to be packed into a tight space or for your party to feel empty.

Step 4: Pick A Theme And Dress Code

Now, before you say anything, we know the theme is casino, but that doesn’t mean your party has to be the same old Las Vegas themed night.

Why not get creative and pick a more specific casino theme?

For example, you could have a James Bond casino party with everyone dressing up as their favorite character from the films and books.

Or, if you’re feeling more retro, why not go for a Great Gatsby theme and break out the jewelry, elbow length gloves, and fancy cocktails?

Either way, picking a theme is a great way of telling your guests how they are expected to dress – a vital part of any party.

And while having an extra theme will make the outfits that much more exciting, a generic casino theme still offers a lot of scope to get fancy.

If you decide to go formal, ask your male attendees to wear black suits and ties or bowties. Women should come in evening dresses, complete with as much gold and sparkly jewelry as is humanly possible.

If “chilled out” is more your style, jeans and t-shirts will work just fine, although formal wear will bring a touch of class to your party.

Step 5: Decide On Entertainment

This is the really fun part. After all, what’s a casino party without any gambling?

When it comes to games our advice is to pick the one you think your guests will enjoy the most and, above all else, keep it simple!

No one wants to be forced to learn a load of complicated instructions for a game they’ve never played before while at a party. So, we recommend going for the casino classics – roulette, blackjack and poker.

That’s because these games are all easy to set up, learn and play. What makes them even better is that you don’t need any expensive equipment to play them either.

You can pick up a poker tabletop, a blackjack table cover, and a roulette set for under $30 each.

Regardless of what games you decide on, it’s important to remember to buy some playing chips.

It’s a good idea to only use a maximum of three different colors. This will make the chips easier to keep track of and means that players don’t have a lot of values to learn.

If you’ve got a bit more cash, it’s worth thinking about hiring a professional dealer. That way you and your buddies are free to hang out and enjoy the action.

Want to make your casino party even more legit? Then hire slot machines for the night. A local party store or casino equipment rental company should be able to help you out.

Or, as we have previously mentioned, go all the way and rent yourself an entire casino!

When it comes to entertainment, casinos don’t rely on gambling games alone and your party shouldn’t either.

You’ll want to make sure there’s music. This can range from organizing a playlist, hiring a DJ, or even paying for a live band if you have space in your budget.

Another good idea is to hire a photographer or photo booth. Trust us, you’ll want to have memories of this night to look back on!

Step 6: Send Out Invitations

A party is nothing without its guests, so be sure to send out invites well ahead of time.

What’s more, this gives you the perfect opportunity to finalize a guest list, and double check how many people you are inviting.

Using physical invitations is an opportunity for you to get creative. Depending on your theme you could style them as giant playing cards, or formal 1920s invitations.

If you don’t have much budget and you already have everyone’s contact details, then a group email should be fine too.

This type of invitation works really well for office parties because you probably all email each other on a daily basis anyway.

The most important thing to do when sending out invites is to make sure that all the necessary details are included:

Occasion
Location
Date
Start and finish time
Theme
Dress code
Plus ones
RSVP/Contact details
Any extra info e.g. food will/won’t be provided

Just remember, the more information you put on the invitation, the fewer questions you will have to answer in private.

Step 7: Make Sure There Are Refreshments

Food and drink are an important part of any party, and your night will be no different. But not all types of food are suitable for casino-themed parties.

Why?

Because your guests are going to be busy with their hands.

That means, when it comes to food, you should give them something that’s both easy to eat and non-greasy/sticky so the cards and chips remain clean.

Of course, when it comes to drinks, cocktails are the order of the day. After all, who doesn’t want to sip on a martini when they play poker?

Cocktails can be expensive to make, so limit your costs by only having a few popular options like mojitos and martinis. You can even make them in bulk beforehand to save time.

Unless, of course, you have the means to hire a private bar.

Remember that cocktails aren’t for everyone, so be sure to provide popular alternatives like beer and wine, as well as non-alcoholic options for non-drinkers.