Casino games are a game of chance, but throwing a casino-themed party is a sure way to gather your friends for a night of fun. From the decor to attire to food and drinks, follow our guide for how to raise the stakes and throw a memorable casino party!
Invitations
Get the ball rolling with an Evite invitation, like this free “Who’s In?” cards-themed invitation or check out our game night invitation gallery for more designs.
Decorations
For your casino-themed party, think red, black and especially green! Decorate your place with fake money, chips and cards. Turn the lights down and string twinkly lights everywhere to set the mood.
Provide each of your guests with little buckets for their winnings. To keep people circulating and interacting with one another, give everyone a score card that keeps track of how many games they’ve tried.
Cover tables with black felt and use a white paint marker to draw blackjack, craps and baccarat lines, or buy pre-made game layouts. You should have a rule book handy in case there are any disputes, but don’t forget this old adage: The house always wins!
Attire
Depending on the type of establishment you’re running, you might want some guests to be patrons and others to work the tables as dealers (or have your guests trade off). Make sure your gamblers are dressed to the nines—think a tuxedo-wearing James Bond staring down Le Chiffre in Casino Royale to get the right idea. Casino night is a perfect excuse to get dressed up!
Here are some ideas for clothing and accessories for casino party outfits:
- Tuxedos and suits for the gents, sparkly attire for the ladies. Particularly chic ladies can consider wearing suits and sleek jumpsuits too!
- Pocket watches, opera gloves or sparkly jewelry
- Aces up your sleeves
- Decks of cards, dice, chips, fake money
- Prizes for the biggest spenders and biggest losers
Activities
Every casino party activity should center around gambling so set up different zones for different events: one for Texas Hold ‘Em, one for 5-Card Stud and other poker games, and another for dice games and roulette.
Partner up novice gamblers with old pros, and make sure there’s space around your tables so people can watch and learn. If you want to add a quirky touch to your casino night, consider playing some sillier card games like Go Fish, BS, Spoon and Speed.
Food
When you think casino, you generally think of drinks—and lots of them!—but don’t forget that all that gambling is sure to make people hungry.
If your casino leans more towards the highbrow, bust out the chafing dish and serve Swedish meatballs or warm crab and artichoke dip. Or stoke your guests’ appetites with spicy foods like wings, chips with charred corn salsa and tangy tomato bruschetta. Small bites and sharable foods are winners at a party like this.
Hand out plenty of cocktail napkins so that hands, cards and tables stay clean. You don’t want anything to undermine the legitimacy of your operation!
Drinks
Cocktails are a must! Choose a few "house special" drinks, otherwise have wine and whiskey on hand for people to pour themselves.
Champagne Cocktail (serves 1)
- 2 dashes bitters
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Chilled Champagne
- 1 twist lemon peel
Mix and serve chilled.
For a nonalcoholic alternative, make pitchers of classics like Shirley Temples and Roy Rogers. Be sure to decorate with maraschino cherries and groovy stir sticks.
