What Should You Wear to a Casino

So, you’re thinking that this could be the day or night that you head down to the casino and win big. This is your first time going and the question arises: what should I wear? Black tie, white tie, formal, casual? There are so many dress codes these days that it can seem difficult or even impossible to find just the right outfit to wear to a casino, especially for a game exclusive or a night of letting loose. Let’s dive in a little deeper to understand the requirements and figure out what to wear on your next casino trip.

Most Common Dress Codes

There are a few kinds of outfits that remain common and accepted across a large portion of casinos. These are the safe options that will ensure you don’t stand out too much. However, every casino is different, so think of this list as a guide and always be sure to check with the casino before arriving.

Some of the commonly found dress codes:

• Formal Attire – Formal attire is the real deal, the black tie and the suit. This attire includes elegant, usually long dresses and suits with ties for the men. At some casinos, you may be a little overdressed, but it is quite common as many people come to a casino after functions and dinners that require this sort of attire. 
• Business Formal – Business Formal is a new kind of daytime attire that has been adopted in the business and corporate world. This can include pencil skirts, button-up shirts and even jackets. However, a tie is rarely worn. These outfits are often more colourful than a classic formal look.
• Semi-Formal Attire – Semi-formal attire is similar to business formal attire, however, it is often a little more formal and less casual. This attire often involves a suit and no tie or even chinos and a jacket. For ladies, it is often a smart dress but not an evening gown and possibly a pair of heels for those who feel comfortable wearing them.

Where is the Casino?

One very important question to ask yourself when you are trying to determine the attire that you should wear to a casino is where the casino is located. A casino by a beach resort may have a more relaxed or casual attire than an upmarket casino found in a big city. 

Furthermore, where you are in the world can also play a part in what is and is not acceptable to wear to a casino. Casinos in the USA are said to be more relaxed and casual, with many people appearing in shorts and golfing shirts. However, in Europe, the attire is often more formal with suits and ties being a common occurrence at European casinos. 

What Game are you Playing?

While it may seem like there is one dress code for the whole casino, there are some games that are a little more high end. Table games and VIP sections are often more formal than the slot machine areas, where casual is almost always accepted. Taking into account where you will be playing can help you in choosing your outfit to fit in with those around you.

Types of Games that are usually more formal:

• Poker Tables
• Blackjack Tables
• VIP Roulette Tables
• Baccarat Tables

How to put together the right outfit?

Putting together the right outfit can sometimes seem like a stressful endeavour. So how do you overcome this stress? By planning out your outfit ahead of time and breaking it down into three key sections:

• Top Half – Jacket/ No Jacket, Tie/ No Tie, scarf/ no scarf. This is what will make up your decisions in the top half of your outfit. Button up shirts are pretty standard and your decisions will come down to the colour and style of your shirt. For the ladies, it can be a dress, skirt and shirt, or pants and shirt. 
• Bottom Half – The decision of what to wear on your lower half comes down to what style of pants or skirt you will wear. Are chinos okay or will you need a matching suit? Is the bottom appropriate to wear along with what you have on top? 
• Shoes – Heels, flats or boots. This decision will largely be affected by the weather and where in the world you are. Boots are often more accepted in colder countries. 

Breaking down your outfit like this can help to take out the worry out of choosing an outfit. Try our process next time you are getting ready for your casino trip and you’ll see the difference.

What about online casinos?

One type of casino not covered in the previous attire lists is the online casino. This growing online industry can offer enthusiasts a great place to play almost any of the casino games or slots available in the real world. It allows a 24/7 experience. So what is the dress code when you’re not actually leaving your house? Whatever you like! Online casinos do not have any dress code as you will be playing from the comfort of your own home. This means you can relax and take it easy since you make the rules in your home environment.

What to wear to a casino can be a difficult and sometimes confusing decision. What you wear will depend on many factors including the weather, where you are and the type of casino you are going to. If you are playing on an online casino, you can wear the outfit that you’re comfortable in as there are no dress codes. This means less time worrying about what to wear and more time to spend playing your favourite casino games. Whether you’re a “get all dressed up” kind of person or someone who likes to be comfortable, there’s an option for everyone.