Signals, chips, and hands off the cards. The few rules that keep a table running.
You do not need to be an expert to join a casino table. Watch the rhythm, choose limits you can afford, and tell the dealer you are new before the round starts. Dealers can explain handling rules, though a busy table is not a full lesson. This is the detailed companion to our Vegas etiquette guide.
You must be 21 or older to gamble in Nevada, and under-21 visitors must not linger in gaming areas. Bring government-issued ID; casinos can ask to check it before play or payment.
Read the table’s minimum, maximum, and game rules before buying chips. At blackjack, the minimum usually applies to each main wager; roulette and craps may have different limits for different parts of the layout. Ask how the displayed minimum applies instead of assuming every individual chip placement has the same requirement. Set your entertainment budget before you sit down.
Wait until the dealer finishes paying and collecting, then ask to buy in. Place cash flat on the table where directed rather than into the dealer’s hand. Let the dealer count it and provide chips before you start arranging a wager. Some tables limit joining mid-shoe or mid-round, so ask before taking an empty seat.
Once wagers are closed, leave your original bet alone. Only add chips when the dealer permits it as part of an authorized decision, such as a blackjack split or double. Do not restack chips or reach across someone else’s bet during play.
In a face-up shoe game, leave the cards on the felt. Common signals are tapping for a hit and waving a flat hand for a stand. For a split or double, add the required separate wager only when instructed and make the signal the dealer requests; spoken words alone may not be enough for the cameras.
Some face-down “pitch” games allow you to hold cards with one hand, keeping them over the table. Do not assume a single- or double-deck game automatically allows touching: ask which handling rule applies before reaching for the cards. Never handle another player’s cards or chips.
Many roulette tables use non-value colored chips to distinguish players. The dealer assigns your color’s value when you buy in; it is not a standard dollar-denomination chip you can carry to another game. Ask how the inside and outside minimums apply before spreading chips across the layout.
Buy in during a break in play. Keep drinks, phones, and other objects off the betting layout, and stop placing or moving bets when the dealer calls “no more bets.” Wait for payouts and the dealer’s instruction before reaching back in. Before leaving, ask to exchange your colored chips for regular casino chips—often called “coloring up.”
If you are the shooter, use one hand to handle the dice, keep them visible, and aim for the far wall as the crew directs. A poor throw may draw a reminder or a “no roll” call; the crew decides whether a roll counts. Never reach for dice on the floor—let staff handle them.
Keep your hands clear when the dice are out. Place cash where the dealer directs during a break rather than tossing it into a live roll. Some bets are placed or moved by the crew, so say what you want instead of reaching across the table. Ask before changing an unfamiliar bet.
In poker, act in turn, keep your cards protected, announce bets clearly, and do not discuss a live hand after folding. Exposing cards, splashing chips into the pot, or deliberately delaying the reveal of an obvious winning hand causes problems because players compete against each other.
Pit-game habits do not replace poker-room rules, and vice versa. Follow the dealer’s instructions about betting order and cards in whichever game you choose. In every room, keep comments about another person’s decisions or bankroll to yourself.
Ask short rules questions between rounds or before your turn when possible. It is fine to ask how a side bet pays or where to place a chip, but do not turn someone else’s active decision into a strategy discussion. If you need a longer explanation, ask about a quieter table or an available beginner lesson.
Do not coach strangers unless they ask, sigh at their decisions, or blame them or the dealer for a loss. You are responsible for your own wagers. If a payout looks wrong, leave the chips in place and ask the dealer and, if needed, a supervisor to review it calmly.
Phone, photography, and filming rules belong to the property and can be stricter at tables than elsewhere. Ask the dealer or supervisor before taking a picture, do not film other players without permission, and step away for calls. Our casino-floor guide covers the wider setting.
Dealer tips are optional and do not change the odds. You can identify a chip as a tip or ask whether a small wager for the dealer is allowed and how to place it. Ask between rounds rather than adding chips to a locked bet. See how much to tip in Vegas for suggested amounts and avoiding duplicate gratuity.
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