The flashing lights and ringing bells of a casino can be incredibly distracting, making it easy to forget the human element of the floor.

Understanding the unwritten rules of the ‘toke’ (casino slang for a tip) will ensure you are treated like a VIP by the staff.

Tipping the Dealers: The Most Important Rule

When you are winning, it is universally expected that you share a small percentage of your good fortune with the person dealing the cards.

To place a bet for them in blackjack, put a chip slightly outside your betting circle; if your hand wins, the dealer’s bet also wins.

• Never hand cash directly to a dealer’s hand; the strict security rules require you to place the money flat on the table first
• In most modern casinos, all dealer tips are ‘pooled’ and split evenly among everyone on the shift, ensuring fair pay for dealers stuck on slow tables
• If you hit a massive slot machine hand-pay jackpot, it is customary to tip the slot attendant who brings you the cash roughly 1% to 2% of the total

Tipping the Waitresses, Valets, and Cashiers

You must absolutely tip the waitress at least $1 or $2 per drink; if you do not tip, they will simply ‘forget’ to return to your machine.

If you tip $5 on your very first drink order, the waitress will actively seek you out for the rest of her shift, ensuring your glass is never empty.

A few extra dollars given to the staff will exponentially improve the quality of your entire casino experience.