Myth # 1 – Casino Parties are Illegal
While gambling is not legal in most states, casino parties are legal in every state, although some may have restrictions if the purpose is for fund raising. Gambling consists of an exchange of real money for chips or other considerations. Casino fun parties utilize play money and chips given to participants without an equal exchange. Therefore it’s not really gambling, because you’re not really losing any money.

Myth # 2 – Casino Parties are Expensive
Compared to other forms of live entertainment, a casino party is a bargain. Even movie tickets can run more than $10 each. Concert tickets are often over a hundred bucks each, not including the outrageous 20% “Convenience Charge” that Ticketmaster imposes on each ticket. Broadway plays or shows in Las Vegas are often exorbitant as well. Most casino parties typically cost twenty to thirty dollars a person. Pretty reasonable, if you ask me.

Myth # 3 – Casino Parties are Difficult to Manage and Organize
Nothing could be further from the truth. Most times the casino rental company will provide a Pit Boss who will run your event, manage the casino dealers, and facilitate prize giveaways. The casino company needs three things for you to provide:
• Location
• Attendees
• Prizes

Myth # 4 – It’s Challenging to Find an Ideal Location
Finding a good location for your casino party will help to ensure your success. But it doesn’t have to be elegant or expensive. We’ve managed casino theme parties inside and outside, in garages, warehouses, hotels, empty office buildings, private homes, clubhouses, veteran’s halls, basements, community centers, and even under a pole barn in the middle of a farmer’s cow pasture. Location doesn’t seem to matter for the people attending the event.

Myth # 5 – I Don’t Have Enough Guests for a Casino Party
Yes, we’ve done quite a number of casino events for over a thousand attendees, but we’ve also done a lot for just 20 attendees. You’re able to adjust the number of tables needed to the amount of attendees expected. It’s not unusual for small casino nights to have just two or three tables.

Myth # 6 – We Don’t Know How to Play the Casino Games
Most casino fun party dealers will explain how to play the game. Some might even teach a simple system for betting. Casino parties always have attendees that have never been in a casino or have gambled. The only thing the casino dealer can’t guarantee is that you’ll win when you go to a real casino.

Myth # 7 – Casino Parties are Not Good Fund Raisers
Casino Party Fundraisers are actually one of the most profitable fund raisers available. In a three hour event, your group can literally make thousands of dollars, even the first time. Casino Fund Raisers often have multiple avenues of income.

By: Jack Corcoran

Casino Games – Casino games are the basis of which the party is run. The general principal for a casino party theme is you should have enough spaces at the casino games for 60-80% of your guests to play at one time. Not all guests will be playing at the same time so you don’t need full capacity and if there is a waiting list to get on a table it just gets more exciting (like a real casino). Some games to consider including are blackjack, roulette, craps, slot machines and even war!

Decorations – You will want to be sure that you have enough decorations to change your venue from a hall or house into a casino. These decorations can range from ceiling decorations to table decorations. You should also consider getting a customized banner to fit the occasion.

Prizes – The final piece of the casino should be the prizes. The prizes don’t have to be extravagant but you’d like them to be enough incentive that people are interested in winning one of the prizes and therefore take the gambling more seriously. Some ideas for prizes are gift certificates, dvd’s and other electronics.

Hopefully you’ll be able to incorporate some of these ideas in your casino themed party.

By: Thor Hanso

A casino party is a mock casino event that incorporates the concept of casino gaming as entertainment at any event you’re planning.

People like to play casino games. Generally they are reluctant to put their own money on the line to enjoy the experience. So, when you add casino entertainment to your event you’re giving your guests an activity that they will enjoy and one that will make your event memorable.

In the case of a fund-raising event your event being memorable is very important since you want to ensure repeat attendance at other events you may present in the future.

Many of the guests at your event will have minimal casino playing experience. A casino party is a great way to learn the games. Guests are given a scrip bank and play for prizes provided by the host.

Generally, the house rules, created by your casino committee, are more lenient than official casino play. After all, your mission is to provide entertainment for several hours. All game rules can be manipulated in favor of the players to add more excitement to your event. Remember, this is not a cash bank. The guests are given worthless scrip to play with as part of their admission package. Since you are not making money from the gaming (sorry, but that is illegal in most places), you can afford to loosen up the games and give your players a fantasy experience which they will remember for months to come.

Wherever in the world you are, parties are generally the same. You have a reason to gather guests together to celebrate and then you decide where to hold your event and what to feed your guests. Along with that you decide on entertainment.

Entertainment can be a difficult decision because you don’t really know what might or might not appeal to your guests. A band is always a popular choice because most people enjoy listening to music, but what kind of music will appeal to your group. A comedian? Well, that depends on whether or not you can find one whose routine doesn’t rely on four letter words. As you go down the list, each form of entertainment will be lacking because nothing encompasses the entire group.

No so with a casino party. A mock casino party usually enjoys a 90% (or higher) participation rate from the guests. Doesn’t seem to make much difference who the group is, what the economic level is or where the party is. From the time the guests arrive and the casino games start until the close of the gaming, the guests are on their feet, moving from table to table, enjoying the different games. The guests are enjoying a level of interaction you will not achieve with any other type of entertainment.

Casino gaming (as entertainment) is a sure winner for any event in your future. Deciding to add entertainment to your event is only the first step. The second step needs to be to choose an entertainment vehicle that will appeal to the majority of your guests.

By: Louise Langmack

As the saying goes: “Life’s a gamble.” So I think there is no better way of celebrating a birthday than a “gamble” night. Have a “Casino Party,” with rolling the dice and playing cards all night. With a Casino night there is so much you can do to make sure you have a really fun party. The theme can be as elegant or as outrages as you wish.

Of course you will not be able to use real money for this but you can have a lot of fun with homemade chips and play money. Make play “money” and “chips” with photos of the birthday person and give each guest a set amount when the party starts. At the end of the party the “winners” can receive prizes and make sure you have fun consolation prizes for the losers. The important thing is that you are celebrating the great gamble that life really is in the perfect style for doing so.

Different style casino parties that can fit into these creative party theme ideas:

1. The Classic “James Bond” Style Casino:

You can go for a grand James Bond Style Casino event complete with tuxedos and a full and flowing bar. With this theme you have to make sure that your guests are aware of the dress code. Your décor will obviously incorporate your theme and will include gaming tables and a roulette wheel. Make sure your decorations are elegant to suit your “glamorous” theme.

The food and drinks for this party should include old fashioned elegant cocktails and elegant snacks. Set your party up in such a way that your guests can move around and play as the mood takes them.

2. A Casual Casino Theme:

You can also opt for the kind of casual “tropical” kind of casino theme as many casinos these days have this theme. Here your decorations will be more outrageous and even “overdone.” Let your guests know what the theme is so they can dress accordingly. You still need your bar flowing with drinks but now you will concentrate on interesting “tropical” cocktails and snacks. Obviously you will still need your gaming tables and roulette wheel. Improvise to save money.

For both these themes the birthday cake can be decorated to look like a gaming table. This is very easily done by making a Photostat of a picture with edible ink on rice paper and then you simply place it on top of the cake.

The Invitations:

You can get your invitations online quite easily or you can print your own. Again you must go with the method that works best with the theme of the Casino birthday party you are throwing. These days your choices are virtually unlimited. According to your theme you can make the invitations either very elegant or, on the other hand, humorous. Remember to let your invitations begin the party theme and work from there to build up your theme and party.

Now for some more general ideas to incorporate into your casino theme:

1. Decorations:

You should not have any problem getting lots of casino related decorations at party stores. From fuzzy dice to oversized cardboard cards and hundreds of things in between. Depending on your sub-theme, you can go as elegant as you’d like with your casino night birthday party. You can also go for some of the more “party” themed casino settings that you will be able to find in the party shops as well.

2. General Food Ideas:

Try to display your food “buffet” style if it is at all possible as we all know that it is a “given” at any self respecting casino. If possible have catering staff circulating with drinks all night. For your food finger snacks are the best. Make them as elegant as possible for your “formal” casino theme and as fun and elaborate as possible for your “tropical” theme. It might be a good idea to browse recipe sites for a few good ideas. Another great addition to your buffet table would be a chocolate fountain with plenty of marshmallows, pretzels, and fruits to cover.

3. Music And Sound:

Get recordings of “casino” sounds such as money pouring out of slot machines. The music will have to fit into your theme but, do keep your guests taste in mind. Even if a certain kind of music fit in with your theme, if your guests hate it, it is not going to work. You can of course skip the slot machine sounds in, especially, your “formal” casino as the gaming tables and roulette tables are normally separate in such casino.

I am sure you will be able to have a really fun party with these Creative Party Theme Ideas.

By: Grietha Du Plessis