While most gamblers tip taxi drivers, bartenders, and waiters/waitresses when they visit restaurants or bars, many of them don’t think to tip casino employees. Unfortunately, many of them also don’t understand how much to tip or when it’s appropriate to do so. In fact, they may assume that casino staff members aren’t even worth a tip! But the truth is that casino employees actually do rely on tips to make a living. They work hard to ensure you have a good experience while playing your favorite games, and deserve your consideration.
Casinos around the world have varying casino tipping policy. Some don’t allow dealers to accept tips, while others encourage it and have special procedures for doing so. It is always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the casino’s tipping policy before you begin gambling. If you do decide to leave a tip, it should be given in the currency that you are gambling with and directly to the dealer. This will prevent the dealer from converting it to cash before giving it to you.
In many countries, it’s customary to tip casino workers. In France, Germany, and the Netherlands, for instance, it is standard practice to tip dealers as well as cocktail servers. In these countries, you should typically tip between 5% and 10% of your total bet amount.
The practice of tipping isn’t as common in China, but it is a growing trend. In most casinos in China, a 10% service charge is added to customers’ tabs, so you should not feel compelled to add a separate tip. However, if you’re particularly happy with your casino host’s service, it is a nice gesture to give them a small tip after your play.
It’s also important to remember that casinos don’t usually pay their staff the lowest salaries allowed by law, so tips are a significant part of their income. The exact percentage you should tip depends on your personal preferences, but most casino employees will be grateful for something in the lower end of that range. If you’re unsure of how much to tip, simply ask the dealer what they think is a fair amount and go from there.
It’s not uncommon for some casino patrons to develop close relationships with their hosts, so they want to show them appreciation with gifts or tips. However, there are some states that have laws prohibiting this practice, and in other cases the casino has strict rules against it as well. If you plan on giving your host a tip or gift, make sure it’s in cash and not a form of credit or debit card. Otherwise, it could be considered a breach of loyalty and your host might be punished by the casino. In addition, some casinos forbid their hosts from accepting any cash gifts or they’ll be fired. This is to prevent comps from being misused or abused. This is why many players are hesitant to give their hosts any money at all.
