Why, How Much, and Do Casino Dealers Keep All of the Tips They Receive?

Is it proper to tip a casino dealer? Do casino employees keep all of their tips? Read our guide to ethically tipping casino dealers!

A common question or doubt that casino players have is whether tipping at casino tables is mandatory and if casino dealers keep their tips when they are offered. Tipping is not required at poker, blackjack, or roulette tables, but it is a good idea, especially if you play for a long time. When it comes to tip handling and distribution, casinos follow one of two policies.

We understand that knowing why and how much to tip a casino dealer is important, so let's find out!

TIPS FOR TWO POLICIES FOR DEALERS

When we tip a casino dealer, we have to wonder if the money is only for the dealer. This depends on how the casino handles tips, and there are two options to think about.

Keep-Your-Own

Keep Your Own (KYO) is a common tipping policy used by many casinos. The policy implies that a good performer will be rewarded with more tips, which they can keep without reporting to or sharing with anyone else.

Casinos like this KYO policy because it makes it possible to give dealers a bonus based on how well they do their job and because it automatically encourages dealers to present and work better. Following this policy, the management of a casino devises a dealer rotation to ensure parity and give each dealer a fair chance.

The casinos also try to bring in dealers who bring a positive attitude to the table. They can expect more tips from gamblers if they do this. Unlike the Tip Pooling system, the Keep-Your-Own policy does not allow for exceptions. Furthermore, storing and monitoring the ins and outs of a shared pool of tips is simple. When dealers take home extra cash, they are never questioned.

Tip Pooling

Another common policy that some casinos implement is tip pooling. In this case, the dealers have a tip pool that is divided equally among all employees. This policy is being implemented primarily to ensure parity. It is undeniably a well-thought-out policy because dealers at high-stake tables typically receive larger tips than those at low-stake tables.

Casinos want to keep their customers entertained, no matter how much money they are betting. Tip Pooling eliminates the possibility of a dealer feeling bad about his poor payouts and, as a result, feeling unmotivated to perform well at low-stakes tables.

Some casinos use tip pooling to reserve a portion of the total pot of tips for back-of-house staff such as porters, cleaning staff, and other lesser-known employees.

WHY SHOULD YOU TIP CASINO DEALERS?

Tipping is not required, but it is something that every player is expected to do. The majority of casino dealers in Las Vegas and elsewhere make a living off of their tips. Because of this, it is important to thank them for their service as a way to help them.

Tipping is a way for players to both receive good service and avoid receiving poor service. In addition, tipping is even more important in casinos that follow the Tip Pooling policy. In these casinos, if a player chooses not to tip a specific dealer for whatever reason, he or she is depriving everyone else in the casino, which is morally wrong and unjustified.

HOW MUCH SHOULD A CASINO DEALER BE TIPPED?

In an ideal world, a player in a US casino should tip the dealer at least $5 per hour. This casino tip amount is the minimum and should be tipped regardless of the stakes. There is no upper limit to how much the player can tip the dealer. Generally, if the stakes are higher, you should tip more. Most importantly, whether you are currently winning or losing the game, you must tip this amount of money.

When tipping a dealer, it is customary to use casino chips rather than cash. When it comes to tipping the dealer, you have two options. Simply pushing the chip towards the dealer and saying "for him" is an easy and straightforward way of tipping. Another entertaining way to tip is to place a bet for the dealer, which also makes them root for you to win. Simply tell the dealer that you want to place a bet for him, and he will show you where to place the chip.

Aside from paying the poker tip amount to the dealer, one must also reward the other service providers, such as waiters, waitresses, bartenders, and valets. Bartenders should be paid $5 for the first drink and $2 for each subsequent drink. Most restaurants and bars expect a 15% tip from waiters and waitresses. A valet in a casino will also accept $5.

Tipping the dealers is thus a conscious and moral decision made by a player as opposed to a requirement. The way this tip is given or received, on the other hand, is completely up to the rules of each casino.