Casino etiquette for your first visit

The casino floor intimidates people who've never stood on one. The truth is kinder: dealers explain the games, mistakes are forgiven quickly, and the rules that exist are mostly about not touching things at the wrong moment.

Dress is the first question callers ask. Neat is the answer — the main floor at The Star takes smart casual; the private salons take the 'smart' part seriously. Thongs and singlets get turned away politely. After 9 pm, err upward.

At the table

Buy in by placing cash on the felt — never hand it to the dealer; they can't take it from your fingers. Wait for a break between hands, set the money down, and the dealer converts it. Cards stay on the table in blackjack; in games where you hold them, hold them in one hand.

Signals exist because cameras need them. Tap the felt for a card, wave it for a stand. The dealer will prompt you the first few times. Saying 'I'm new' out loud fixes more than any guide — the table adjusts, and often helps.

"The floor forgives confusion. It doesn't forgive a phone at the table or a chip moved after the call."

A pit manager, The Star

The things that actually get noticed

Phones away at the table — photos of the gaming floor are simply not done. Chips bet after the dealer calls 'no more bets' get returned, once, then flagged. Drinks are fine; resting the glass on the rail is not.

Tipping dealers isn't required in Australia and nobody expects it. A small chip for a good run lands warmly but changes nothing. What changes things is courtesy — the floor remembers guests who are easy to host.

The private salons

Above the main floor sit the members' salons — higher limits, hosted service, calmer room. Access runs on membership or hosted introduction, which is the part of our VIP packages guests ask about most.

If a first visit is on your list, tell us. A host walks you through entry, the first buy-in, and the room's rhythm — the evening lands better when someone has done it before you.