Tipping a dealer in person at a casino is a common courtesy, regardless of the kind of night that you have while playing. There’s no requirement to actually tip, but it’s regarded as the right thing to do. It’s a little appreciative thanks in exchange for their service.
As highlighted by the iGaming review site Legalcasino UK, there are plenty of fantastic platforms to play at and a big part of an online casino experience is live dealer tables. But how does tipping work when playing online, and does it happen at the same kind of level as when playing in-person?
Dealing with Dealers in Person
Dealers attempt to give players a good experience as part of their service, and therefore dipping into your pocket to provide a tip, is really about that overall experience. It’s about the face-to-face interaction with the dealers, where personal connections can be forged. A player who’s had an engaging time at a table, regardless of how their fortunes have gone, is more likely to tip the dealer well.
Live Dealer Games
Playing live dealer table games at an online casino is very different as there is a level of separation between player and dealer, and this tends to be a barrier to tipping. At a live table on an online casino platform, the engagement between player and dealer is done through text chat. As players have anonymity behind the comfort of their screen, then there is far less pressure to tip.
What Is Tipping Etiquette?
In person, it’s polite to offer a little something, either at the end of a session or right after a big win. In contrast, the tipping culture at online casinos just has never taken off. It is something that is not expected to happen, and in many instances, the option to tip isn’t even available.
Different Ways to Tip
When playing in person at a casino, there are different ways to tip a dealer. Here are some common ways to offer a gratuity, depending on the game being played.
Blackjack
A popular way to tip a dealer is to play a hand for them by placing a chip or chips on the table in front of your stake. The other option is to simply hand over chips when you’re done playing.
Roulette
Simply put the chips down on your table option and indicate verbally to the dealer that it is for them. More commonly, at the end of the playing session, you can hand over some chips.
Baccarat
Much like blackjack, you can put a bet on the table in front of yours for the dealer. This is standard practice, but again, directly handing over chips at the end of the play is common as well.
How Much to Tip?
Since you can tip, it always leads to the question of how much you should tip. There is no set amount of how much you are expected to tip, and a lot of that will be determined by how much you won during the session.
It could be handing over 1%-10% of what you gain at the table, or offering a 3-5% payout on a side bet, for example. When playing at an online casino, because there is no face-to-face interaction, tips, when they happen, are likely to be much smaller than in person.
Extra Tipping
Tipping in person at a casino is not limited to dealers. If you use a valet for parking, then you have to dip into your pocket for extra. During the night, you will be expected to tip your drinks' server.
The drinks are complimentary, but the servers are working hard and are typically on a low hourly rate, so they appreciate a little extra. The cost of a tip is a lot less than heading to the bar and buying a drink (and tipping the bartender) yourself, too.
Then at the end of the night when you visit the cage to cash out your chips, it’s also customary to leave a little something for the cashier. This is where online casino play has the advantage because you don't have to incur any of those extra tipping expenses.
Check the Local Rules
Tipping will also vary from country to country as well. In the UK, it’s not typically accepted practice to play a hand for a dealer in blackjack, for example. Tipping at UK casinos wasn’t actually permitted at all until changes were made to the Gambling Act 2005. Tipping is not the custom in Macau casinos and in Australia, it is illegal to tip dealers altogether! But in Las Vegas tipping is not only legal but also a common and expected practice.
