Casino Dress Code: Top Casino Oufits

Casinos come in many shapes and guises – often being built near or in combination with hotels, resorts, restaurants, shops and even cruise ships and major tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment such as stand-up comedy, concerts and sports and over the years have become a place where people get dressed up to the nines to attend.

When we think of casino dress code and outfits men would be forgiven for instantly conjuring up images of Daniel Craig as James Bond donning that dashing tux that becomes more and more scruffy as he fights for his life during the Texas Hold’em tournament in Montenegro. Ladies might well look to emulate the incredible dresses Jessica Chastain wears as Molly Bloom in the Aaron Sorkin-directed crime drama flick Molly’s Game, as she hosts an underground poker empire for Hollywood celebrities, athletes, business tycoons and even the Russian mob.

The key to a great casino part outfit is smartness and simplicity combined with effortless elegance – although anyone who has been to a land-based casino will know that this is not always the case in real life! The modern reality is that going to a casino means dressing however you want (well, within reason).

Here in this comprehensive guide we will outline what you absolutely shouldn’t wear, the meaning behind different dress codes and some suggestions for good outfits.

• What Not To Wear
• Usual Casino Dress Codes
• White Tie
• Black Tie
• Semi-Formal
• Business Formal
• Smart Casual
• Casual Casino Outfits

What Not to Wear to a Casino

Every casino will have different guidance regarding its dress code and it’s a good idea to check the website before attending so you know what the rules are. However, there are broad guidelines for what to wear when visiting any casino in the world, and following these will put you in a better position to succeed at whatever game you decide to play. Even if it’s just helping you get into the correct mindset for success and feeling comfortable when playing.

As a rule American casinos are more laid back than their European counterparts, although they will still expect you to meet a certain standard of dress code. Never turn up wearing flip-flops or sandals for example, you need to cover your feet with trainers or even better formal shoes particularly if you’re going with a suit. Whatever you choose to wear clothes-wise, you need to appear well-kept and presentable, completely ruling out dirty or even worse, torn outfits.

If you have ketchup all down your t-shirt you shouldn’t be allowed in, while any liquid stains will be looked upon negatively too. Try and not be wearing trainers or sneakers if you are attending a casino in the evening, especially after 6 pm. Wearing a hat inside is always debatable, so perhaps leave your cap at home and do check the site for the casino in question to see whether there are any specific events at the time you are planning to visit. If you’d rather not worry about the dress code at all, check out our guide to the top online casinos and play from home.

What Are the Usual Casino Dress Codes?

Just like when attending weddings, funerals and other formal events you’ll find a range of dress codes offered as types of attire to follow when visiting a casino. The different types of usual dress code at casinos tend to fall under the following brackets – white tie, black tie, business formal, business casual, semi-formal and casual.

In the rest of this piece we will break down what constitutes each type of attire, list the other terms used to describe them and make some example outfit suggestions for you to take inspiration from.

White Tie

If the Bond look is what you have in mind then white tie might be the perfect style for you. It is probably the smartest attire you can go for at a casino, given it is the most formal event Western dress code out there. Also called full evening dress or a dress suit, for men this consists of a black tail coat worn over a white dress shirt with a starched or pique bib, white pique waistcoat and the white bow tie worn around a standing wing collar.

Acceptable accessories with this outfit for men include a black top hat, white gloves, a white scarf, pocket watch, white pocket square and even a boutonniere (don’t worry, we had to look this up too; it’s the French word for a buttonhole or better explained as a floral decoration that is fixed on the lapel of a tuxedo or suit jacket). While women wear full-length ball or evening gowns with evening gloves and sometimes tiaras, jewelry or a small handbag.

So white tie outfits are super smart and super dressy, with the dress code’s origins tracing back in time to the end of the 18th century and remained prevalent for a long time until the 1960s, when black tie replaced white tie as the default option for evening wear for more formal events. In the casino context, you’re only likely to see white tie for very special events such as opening launches, anniversaries or high-profile games nights and probably just at very swanky land-based venues.

Black Tie

Originating in the 19th century across British and North American societies, black tie resembled a semi-formal dress code for evening guests that remains the most common high order dress code for casino goers. Brits might also refer to this attire as a dinner jacket or also dinner suit (for men), while American English usually refers to the term tuxedo or shortening of tux.

A typical dinner suit is a black two or three-piece suit which is distinguished by jacket lapels and stripes running down the outside of the trousers. It is often worn with a white dress shirt that will have a turndown collar and cufflinks, a black bow tie, a waistcoat, cummerbund, and black leather shoes or court pumps. Accessories here for men include a semi-formal homburg (like Winston Churchill used to don so spectacularly), bowler or boater hat, while women wear a smart evening gown or other fashionable casino night attire.

Popularized by the British Royal family stemming back to 1865, black tie attire is traditionally only worn for events after 6pm and is considered less formal than white tie but more formal than any other dress code. They are usually only requested by guests at higher-end casino establishments, VIP lounges or special events.

Semi-formal

The most widely seen casino attire is that of semi-formal, which constitutes a group of dress codes ranging in formality between informal wear and formal wear. In the modern world the usual interpretation for men is black tie for evening wear and black lounge suit for day wear, while for women it could be either a cocktail dress, pantsuit or an evening gown.

Choosing between morning or evening semi-formal attire is defined by whether the event you are attending starts before or after 6 pm, with most casino nights taking place in the evening. You aren’t going to be turned away from any land-based venue if you arrive in semi-formal attire regardless of the time of day, and if you aren’t sure what to wear you can’t really go wrong with this dress code. Digging deeper into the options for men and women – trousers must be worn for men and although a suit is acceptable, it doesn’t have to be a tuxedo and there is no expectation for you to wear a tie.

Meanwhile for women dresses and skirts are both acceptable, with both short and long varieties welcome and footwear including heels, flats and sandals all options. You’re best advised wearing darker shades of colors during the evening hours while a black dress is always a good shout.

Business Formal

The smartest dress code away from glamorous events and widely seen in daily life in the corporate world is smart business or business formal which is possibly the safest bet if you are going to an evening event and aren’t sure on what to wear. You certainly won’t be turned away for wearing this type of attire and it is still one of the most distinctive and elegant ways to dress for a casino. You wouldn’t look out of place in a business meeting but you won’t be going all out in white tie, black tie or even a tux.

Men meeting the smart business dress code will still be wearing a suit, but the color options here are vast ranging from the usual dark suits to lighter shades with button-down collar shirts accepted. Formal shoes remain a must though, so don’t even think about wearing trainers. For women it is perfectly acceptable to wear the likes of blouses, jackets or evening blazers, with casual shows okay too and fewer jewelry items expected. If you wear a skirt make sure it is conservative in length and don’t wear stockings that are too tight.

If you aren’t sure what to go for here, think about what you might wear for a job interview or a smart office dress code where you are trying to make an impression. It’s always better to be a little overdressed than underdressed and business formal is usually comfortable enough not to be a chore to wear all night long.

Smart Casual

An increasingly popular dress code around the world and one that is more and more suited to casinos is that of smart casual. Here you can assume the style of a white-collar professional but include a more sporty angle to your look. It’s a more slimmed-down version of attire that means blazers and sport jackets are acceptable for men, as well as collared and button-down shirts and polo shirts. Ties are probably recommended but not at all required, while loafer shoes are fine and only some sneakers will work.

Women can choose from a wide range of times including collared shirts as well as blouses, with jackets and sweaters that cover the shoulder accepted as well as skirts, pants and khakis but probably not hoses or stockings.

Smart casual is a particularly broad dress code that definitively rules our dirty trainers, tracksuit pants, ripped jeans, flip flops or anything of that sort of ilk. Think of what you would wear to a nice bar or pub and you won’t go too far wrong, with smart jeans, chinos, dresses, skirts and everything else in between allowed if done right. Just don’t turn up too scruffy and you should be okay with this attire.

Casual Casino Outfits

Casual attire is the most relaxed dress code you’ll find at a casino, but don’t take this as an invitation not to put care and effort into your appearance. In the US this is a popular look at land-based venues, with men permitted to wear shorts and trainers during the daytime and even open-toed options in some locations. T-shirts and jeans are fine and any color of clothing is permitted when going for a casual casino outfit.

For women shorts and trainers are only usually welcome during the daytime (although you will likely get away with this at night), while t-shirts and sweaters work anytime and sun dresses, jeans, trousers and skirts are all acceptable options.

You’ll still want to look the part even if you’re going casual, and for men that could constitute a collared shirt, nice jeans and Chelsea boots. Or that could be a button-down shirt, black slim-fit pants and dress shoes or perhaps a polo shirt, smart pants and loafers. Casual casino outfits for ladies include all kinds of dress pants and dresses, blouses and jeans too.