How to Get Banned from a Las Vegas Casino in 5 Minutes

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Nobody walks into a Las Vegas casino with the intention of being permanently excluded. Even so, some questionable characters seem to be hell-bent on making things as unpleasant as possible for their fellow punters.

The casino etiquette rulebook isn’t rocket science, and nor should most of it centuries really need to be explained. It’s all predominantly a case of common sense and courtesy – i.e. treating others how you would expect to be treated yourself.

Still, there’s the difference between occasionally stepping out of line and falling foul of a mortal casino sin.  In the case of the latter, we’re talking about the kinds of things that could see you excluded…and told never to return.

Some of these are more obvious than others, so let’s dig in:

1 – Trying to Cheat the System 

First up, any attempts to cheat the system in a casino will see you banned…and perhaps handed over to the relevant authorities. In a nutshell, anything that constitutes attempting to gain the upper hand in a casino will be seen as cheating.

From distracting the dealer to attempting to look at other people’s cards to thumping slots that aren’t doing what you want them to do, it’s all the same in the eyes of the casino. The use of ridiculous systems and strategies that are supposed to give players the upper hand is also banned in most casinos.

Long story short – play by the rules, or don’t play at all. 

2 – Breathing Down Players’ Necks 

There’s nothing to say you have to take part in any of the action taking place in the casino.  If you prefer, you can simply spend your time and your money in the restaurant, or sit at the bar and watch people do their thing.

But there’s a big difference between soaking up the atmosphere in a casino and loitering around the tables. Breathing down players’ necks and making a nuisance of yourself will usually be a one-way ticket to the door.

Unless you are taking part in the action, keep a sensible distance from those who are, and don’t become a distraction for the dealer or anyone else.

3 – Taking Photographs 

With few exceptions, you’ll find that most casinos have a strict policy on photographs and videos.  That being, no photographs or videos…period. 

Taking photographs and shooting videos in a casino setting is seen as a major security risk.  The trouble is that in this day and age, people seem to think they have every right to pull out their smartphones and shoot all the photos they like.

In a particularly strict casino, this could see you being manhandled straight out of the door, without even being given the time to grab your chips. Unless you want to run the risk of potentially forfeiting your entire stack, don’t even think about taking photographs.

4 – Taking Calls at the Table

Pull out your smartphone for any other purpose mid-game and you’ll likely be asked politely by the dealer to put it away. Make or take a call at a casino table and you’ll find yourself on thin ice, but may still simply be scolded verbally for a first offence.

However, ignore the requests of the casino staff to holster your phone while playing and you can expect an unfriendly visit from the establishment’s security team. You’ll be removed from the table and the casino (by physical force if necessary), and it’s highly unlikely you’ll be handed any of your chips or winnings.

You’ve reached the strict (and clearly communicated) terms and conditions of the casino, leaving you without a leg to stand on.

5 – Any Sign of Disrespect to Staff

Be mindful of the fact that everything (literally) you do in a casino is both watched in real-time and recorded.  This means that if you demonstrate even the slightest disrespect to any staff member at any time, it’s likely to be held against you.

This includes blaming dealers and hosts for your losses, accusing the house of cheating, in any way talking down to those working in the establishment. Be mindful of the fact that should they choose to do so, anyone who takes a disliking to you could ask security to remove you…and they will. 

If there’s a dealer, host or server you simply do not click with, walk away and take your business elsewhere.

6 – Intoxication

Nothing rubs casino staff up the wrong way quite like drunk or stoned customers. They really are the bane of the existence of those who have to deal with them. 

True, some people can be downright hilarious when intoxicated, if not the life and soul of the party. But as intoxication almost always leads to negative consequences in a casino, it’s treated with a zero-tolerance policy.

Having a few drinks to enhance the experience is fine. But if you’re the type of person that clearly looks inebriated after one small glass of wine, it’s probably best to give it a miss.  You may be fine, but look even slightly drunk to casino staff and you’ll be out the door.

7 – Winning Too Much 

Last up, it’s a little-known fact that you can be asked to leave a casino for winning too much money. Even if you have played by the rules and simply benefited from an unexpected winning streak, casinos hate it when players rob them of their own precious earnings.

More often than not, the house edge makes it practically impossible to win huge sums of money.  Shy of those who strike it lucky with major jackpot slots, odds are you’re going to walk away with a modest profit at best. So when players pull off the impossible and win way more than they should have, it raises red flags.

To the casino, the player in question could have found a way to cheat the system, and therefore needs to be excluded.  If not, they’re simply far too lucky on the night to be cost-effective, and should therefore be booted out…temporarily, at least. 

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