The question of the moment: do you have to tip in a casino?

It seems that money flows in abundance in casinos around the world. But what can you actually do with the money you have in your pocket? Some will say that these gambling establishments remain places where entertainment is paramount, and that it would therefore be important to leave a tip for the person who is making your experience enjoyable. Dealers, servers, valets, this strange custom deserves our attention, as many players have asked us for explanations on this system.

Indeed, if you consider that the establishment already takes your bets and a percentage of your winnings, it would seem that tipping is not really advantageous for the player. That is why we have decided to explain to you when and to whom you should offer a tip. Even better, tips are sometimes subject to numerous controversies or juicy anecdotes that we will share with you. You will no longer play in the same way in a land-based establishment or in an online casino.

Should dealers be tipped?

Let's first break the prejudices about tips in casinos: no, you do not have to give extra money to the staff of the establishment. Unless you are playing at a gambling den in the United States, tipping remains a tradition that you can follow, only if you feel like it.

However, you also have the right to donate. Indeed, this extra money can allow the casino employee to supplement their income. Typically, it is the winners who give an extra tip to a dealer. They often believe that it was the casino employee who helped them win the jackpot. Of course, you can also give a tip if you were satisfied with the service provided. In a land-based casino, it is not only the dealers who can receive extra money. Also consider the waitstaff, valets, slot machine attendants, and security personnel.

What about online casinos?

Do you never play in a real casino? Don't worry, we also guide online players with our best tips. Regarding tips, it seems obvious that it is useless to give extra money to the computer software of an online casino. Moreover, these virtual games do not offer you this option in most cases.

Nevertheless, some live casinos have a tipping system in place – if you wish – to the croupiers in front of you. Yes, because on a Live Casino, the dealers are very real, they are just broadcast on video from a real casino.

Tipping, a sometimes controversial system

You should still know that the tradition of tipping differs between gambling houses. In world, some major brands in the gaming sector have banned this practice. Sometimes, the money doesn't go directly into the dealer's pocket. The casino may deduct a percentage of the amount to give it back to them, while in other establishments, employees share the total amount. Tips also give rise to more bizarre situations:

• Between 1983 and 2004, the managers of the Namur casino in Belgium embezzled more than 75 million euros using tips as an explanation for this scam.
• In Quebec, a casino employee falsified sweepstakes to receive large undeclared tips. Players received gifts in exchange for this money.
• In world, a croupier got more than $5,000 in tips. The customer justified his gesture by saying: “You made me win! ". Karma, no doubt...