What should you be wearing at the casino?

There are many reasons why you should follow a casino's dress code: to honour their rich history, to blend in the surroundings, to dress according to the local climate, to respect local culture, and, in some cases, to deceive dealers and your opponents.

But you may wonder what's the worst that could happen if you fail to follow the casino's dress code. Let's just say you'll have to go gamble on your couch, where no amount of live casino bonuses and free spins will match the experience you could have had at the casino.

So the next time you head out to gamble, here's what you should wear.

White Tie

White Tie is considered as the most formal style of dress and is rarely set as a dress code by casinos. However, you might get an invitation to a private event hosted in a casino that might specify this dress code.

White Tie for women means a floor-length evening gown with optional accessories like long gloves, tiaras, clutch purses, and elegant jewellery. Men are expected to wear a black dress coat with tails and a matching pair of trousers. It should be paired with a white shirt having wing collars and a stiff front. Their outfit should be held together by shirt studs and cuff links and they should accessorise with a white bow tie and white or grey gloves.

Black Tie

A Black Tie dress code means a little less formal than White Tie but still very much so. It's traditionally worn to events after 6 PM, but some casinos like Monte Carlo and other big ones in Las Vegas and Atlantic City require it by default.

For Black Tie, women can wear anything from a ball-gown to a cocktail dress to a pantsuit with a palazzo cut. But they should compulsorily pair their dresses with evening shoes. Men following a Black Tie dress code need to wear a white dress shirt, a black bow tie, an evening waistcoat, a wool dinner jacket, and black Oxford dress shoes.

Formal

There are two types of formal dress codes a casino may specify — semiformal and business formal. Women wearing semiformal clothing can pick from a short afternoon or cocktail dresses, a long dressy skirt and matching top, or dressy separates. Men, on the other hand, require a dark business suit, a matching vest, a dress shirt of conservative colour, a conservative tie, and leather dress shoes and dark dress socks.

Business formal is slightly less formal than semi-formal and can basically be described as 'work clothes'. The only requirement of business formal dress code, therefore, is that your clothes make you look presentable in a work environment.

Business Casual

Business casual is considered as the most common dress category. It means no stockings or hoses for women and no ties for men. Women can wear khakis, skirts, or pants, and pair it with collared shirts, knit shirts, or sweaters. Men can go for business casual with a seasonal sport or blazer with slacks, a dress shirt, an optional tie, and loafers.

While business casual is acceptable in many casinos, you might be barred from entering some areas of fancier casinos if you don it.

Casual

Note: Casual does not mean you can wear anything you like. If you're going to a casino with a "casual" dress code, it doesn't mean 'come as you are'. If you don't want to embarrass yourself at the casino, you need to follow a standard.

For women, casual clothing might mean a sundress; a long skirt; a pair of khakis or even blue jeans; a pair of shorts in warmer climates; a plain t-shirt, polo shirt, or turtleneck; or just a casual button-down blouse.

Men's casual clothing outfit can include khaki pants or blue jeans; Bermuda or cargo shorts in warmer climates; plain t-shirts, turtlenecks, or polo shirts; a casual button-down shirt; or a pair of loafers or sneakers.