How to Get the Right Balance When Tipping in Casinos
Tips are an established part of the compensation packages for casino employees. In fact, without tips the staff would earn a minimum wage and have little incentive to offer good service. Tipping not only gives dealers and other staff a reasonable living wage, but it also protects customers from getting bad service. This article explains tipping in casinos so you know when, how and why you should tip.
You’ll find an overview of how the tip system works below, and a reminder of why it is important to be generous with your tips. After that you can see some specifics for different kinds of games and roles within the casino.
The Practicalities
Minimum wages for tipped workers can be as low as a few dollars per hour in some states. In Las Vegas casinos staff are paid around $7.55 an hour before tips, which is still a low wage for working shifts in the demanding environment of the casino floor. Waiting staff are paid the same low wages, and often share their tips with the bar staff who prepare your drinks. Tipping these casino employees should not be thought of as an addition to their wages – it really is a basic part of their pay packet which they would struggle to do without.
In most casinos, tips are pooled. Any tips given are put into a special slot on the tables, and the amount totaled and divided among the dealers on a particular shift. This allows the casino to pay tax just once on the total amount before it is distributed, saving a lot of administration for individuals.
This does mean that it is difficult to reward particularly good individuals. Even a surly dealer will get their share! The balance of security and ease of handling this money does lean towards the pooled method making the most sense though.
In many countries, particularly in Europe, casino staff are paid a reasonably high annual salary. To balance this they are not allowed to accept tips from the floor. This does vary from country to country, so please check the local rules with the casino host to make sure.
How Much Should You Tip?
This depends on several factors including the betting limits you play, the particular game and the service being tipped for. You can tip $1 for a drink brought by a waiter, and give the dealers a small chip after a winning hand. Some suggest that you should aim for $5 per hour in tips at the smaller to mid-range stakes; however, this may be high for some small-stakes players and low for those betting larger amounts. A more reasonable range might be $3 to $10, depending on numerous factors including whether you are personally going on a winning streak.
There is no obligation to tip at all, though do bear in mind that the casino staff do not really earn a living wage without this extra money.
How and When to Tip in Different Games and Situations
Not all games are the same when it comes to tipping. This guide will point you in the right direction. If you are unsure of how things work in a particular casino, then the host will usually be very happy to explain.
Slots
Tips for slots supervisors are usually given when you win a jackpot payout. When your light comes on, staff will come and administer your win and at that point you can hand them a tip. Five percent of your win is usually enough. This can be a large amount, and you should bear in mind that those tips make up for the tasks which usually go untipped, such as making small repairs to machines and helping customers find their preferred games. You can also tip slots staff for holding your machine while you take a bathroom break.
Table Games
In games like blackjack you can tip after you win a couple of hands. You do not need to do this for every hand – that would be too much. Instead throw a chip to the dealer when you split or double and get a bigger payout, or when you win a few hands in a row. Other games make this more obvious. For example, the casino poker games give you multiple payouts for good hands, meaning you can give the dealer a chip when those come up. You might not hit a big hand for a while, so remember to tip when you get a few smaller wins too if it has been a while since the last tip was given.
Poker Games
Multi-player poker dealers also need tips to make up their wages to an appropriate amount. Here you can tip after you win a pot; the amount can depend on the size of the pot. If this is just picking up the blinds then there is no need to tip at all, though if you get a double-up you can afford to be a little more generous.