Sure Bets

Want to bring attendees the thrill of Las Vegas without the expense and hassle of getting them there? Try a casino theme party a special event with a distinctive theme and plenty of faux gambling. The presence of gaming, even without real money changing hands, will hook attendees for both corporate parties and charity events.
    “If the client is thinking, ‘This is a good way to do something interactive,’ then go for it,” says Jaclyn Bernstein, DMCP, president and partner of Empire Force Events in New York City. “Gaming will never go out of style.”
    Here’s a how-to on planning a high-impact casino bash for employee events or big-ticket fund-raisers.

Step one: Consider your audience
First, decide whether your group will enjoy a casino party. Pay attention to the following:
    These types of events work best for groups of at least 50 guests; any fewer and it won’t be as exciting. Also, they’re more appropriate for employee meetings than for external client affairs. “Unless you’re giving away a Mercedes, you’ll find clients are not interested in fake gambling,” says Phelps Hope, CMP, president, Aspen Productions Inc., based in Atlanta.
    Younger crowds are more likely to take to it than older, says Hope, as will salespeople, a naturally competitive bunch. These groups also will be more likely to dress up to match a theme, if they’re asked.

Step two: Choose an operator
Before renting the venue, it’s a good idea to pick a casino theme party operator, who will be a source of advice and equipment in the gaming world. The operator will bring in games, dealers and often decor.
    One reliable source for operators is the SeaTac, Wash.-based National Association of Casino & Theme Party Operators, whose website, www.nactpo.com, contains a directory by state of members, all of whom have pledged to follow a code of ethics. Another is the International Special Events Society, based in Chicago; www.ises.com offers a special listing of such businesses.
    When evaluating a party provider, ask to see the gaming tables. “There’s a lot of junk out there,” laments Jay Welch, owner of Monte Carlo Associates Inc., based near Houston. Tables should be true casino size: Though this varies, five by 12 feet is good for craps, four by eight is fine for roulette and three by five is the minimum for blackjack. The felt should be thicker and softer than a pool table’s, clean and without tears or holes. In all, the equipment must look substantial and authentic.
    Lastly, be sure the vendor you choose has liability insurance, notes Welch. As with any party, it is important that everyone involved is somehow covered.

Step three: Get the right space
Be sure to begin with enough square footage to accommodate gaming possibilities. “Casino equipment is space hungry,” says Geri Windecker, president of the National Association of Casino & Theme Party Operators and manager for Wild Bill’s Interactive Events, based in Portland, Ore.
    A mistake some planners make is not accounting for gaming tables when evaluating required space. For example, 200 guests would require at least 2,800 square feet just for the tables, by Windecker’s calculation. Add that to the more than 2,000 square feet required for a banquet, and the total space required comes to 5,000 square feet, more than many planners account for.
    If you are not providing other entertainment options, be sure to put out enough gaming tables for 75 percent of the total number of guests. At any given time, about a quarter will be eating, drinking and schmoozing, says Phelps Hope. If other entertainment is available, expect just 50 percent of guests to be playing at once.

Step four: Choose the right games
Blackjack is by far the most popular game. Experts say to use five to 10 blackjack tables per craps or roulette game. An ideal setup for 200 people, says Windecker, would be about 15 blackjack tables and one table each for craps and roulette. With large groups, throw in a specialty card game such as baccarat, Pie-Gal poker, Red Dog, Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride, three-card poker or Texas Hold ’Em, which is currently all the rage in (you guessed it) Texas, according to Jay Welch. Another popular option is Wheel of Fortune, a specialty roulette based on the TV show. Slot machines are well liked, too, but because they’re not interactive, planners might want to steer clear.
    If planning for a foreign audience, remember that Europeans don’t play craps as much as Americans, but they play a lot more baccarat and roulette, says Phelps Hope.
    Especially when the event is a fund-raiser, bring in sponsors for each gaming table. Carla Cohen, account executive at Steve Phillips Show Biz Productions Inc., based in Washington, D.C., suggests rating sponsor companies as aces, kings or queens based on the size of their contributions. Sponsors also could pay for the buckets that hold attendee winnings, or for props, if they’re given to guests as part of the theme.

Wild West wingding: A casino party themed by Atlanta’s Aspen Productions

Step five: Pick a theme
“The casino is such a popular thing that a lot of people want to keep doing it, so we have to change it every year,” says Lori Denton, owner of Port Orange, Fla.-based Galaxy Fun Raising.
    Indeed, for groups who plan casino parties year after year, a different theme each time will keep attendees interested.
    Following are a few popular themes. (To find decor, ask the casino party operator, who will either have or know where to rent some.)
    " Wild West. This classic slice of Americana features lots of fun clothes, notes Lori Denton. The dealers can be dressed in green visors and armbands, or flannel shirts, or frock coats and cowboy hats. Give attendees hats and bandanas as they enter.
    For decor, use Wild West storefronts around the perimeter, and if it’s not too difficult, install swinging saloon doors at the entrance. If the floor isn’t carpeted, sprinkle it with sawdust. Bring in actors dressed as cowboys and saloon gals to wander the floor and flirt with guests, suggests Hope. If they’re good, stage a shootout or a murder mystery, where the dealers are arrested and interrogated, and attendees have to guess who did it.
    In terms of food, serve beer in mugs and barbecue. Be careful not to offer something too messy, however, as that risks damaging the gaming equipment.
    " Las Vegas. This requires a glitzy, sexy setup. Have a smartly dressed cocktail staff, and bring in dancers for one or two 10-minute performances.
    Depending on which end of the strip you’re trying to emulate, decor such as giant playing cards, fuzzy dice, a Las Vegas Strip backdrop, dice-shaped Mylar balloons and flat confetti shaped like poker chips will either add to the charm or look tacky. If the venue is classy, better not to overdecorate.
    Food can be as chi-chi as caviar, shrimp and lobster, or as plain fun as pigs in blankets, says Jaclyn Bernstein. Dub the repast a $1.99 buffet as a joke.
    For linens, Douglas Tillinger, owner of Tillinger’s Concierge & Special Event Productions, based in Boston, suggests alternating silver- and red-sequined toppers over black underlay, which can work for any kind of Vegas night.
    " Monte Carlo. Set up a James Bond-themed event, complete with red carpet, faux-marble entranceway, ornate columns topped with live ferns, and ficus trees with twinkle lights, suggests Carla Cohen. Serve a wide selection of martinis, including the gin-and-vermouth classic. Baccarat works well in the context of this theme.
    Bring in a “cigar girl” to hand out a high-end variety of stogies, labeled with the company logo (unless it’s a medical association’s benefit); even if smoking isn’t permitted indoors, says Tillinger, guests can take them home as souvenirs. The cigar girl blends well with other casino themes, too.
    " New Orleans. Give the event the look of the French Quarter: Put up brick-wall facades, park benches, lots of greenery and beads, though not too much color, warns Denton, or it will look like Mardi Gras. Hire a voodoo-spouting, palm-reading psychic for additional entertainment, and serve jambalaya as one food option.
    " Casablanca. The room should be white and contain plenty of plant life. Put a Moroccan beaded lamp on each table, and import palm trees (real or fake). The dealers should wear tuxedos. Any upscale food should do, but traditional Moroccan foods, such as couscous and tagines, can be quite tasty.
    " Speakeasy. A furtive-looking man in an overcoat should approach attendees individually before the event to give them a password required for entry. Decorate the entrance to look like a back alley, with a sliding peephole in the door. Inside, the male dealers and servers should be dressed up as gangsters, all in black except for white suspenders, ties and fedoras. The women should wear flapper dresses, boas and beads. To get guests into it, give them a hat and plastic gun or a boa and beads.
    " Tropical. To mimic a Caribbean casino, bring in fake coconut palms and banana trees. The tables can be shaded with palapas heavy thatch umbrellas. For entertainment, consider a fire eater. For food, use carved fruit and pineapple-infused meats.
    " Carnival. Especially for groups without a predisposition for gambling, create a peanuts-and-cotton-candy event, with both casino games and carnival games, such as a ring toss and a balloon dart throw. Winnings from the carnival games can count the same as casino winnings. “With some guests, you’ve got to give them something different to do, or else they’re going to walk out the door,” says Bernstein.

GAMING GIFTS

Sweet hand: Full-size chocolate
face cards from Finishing Touches

Although winners at a casino party should receive big prizes, more modest casino-related items can make great gift-bag stuffers.

Chocolate is a real crowd pleaser. Madelaine’s Chocolates makes delicious chocolate poker chips and coins; more delectable are the mint truffle or milk chocolate playing cards, which start at $123 for 20 pounds, or 17 cents per card. (800) 322-1505; madelainechocolate.com

Chocolate Expressions sells large chocolate coins in custom  wrappers. Boxes of three to six coins start at 65 cents per box and 25 cents per coin, plus a $25 imprinting fee. (800) 372-8695; www.chocolateexpressions.com

For smaller quantities, Finishing Touches assembles boxes of handmade casino-themed chocolates, such as full-size dark chocolate face cards, miniature roulette wheels, slot machines and dice. Individual chocolates run from 50 cents to $2, and boxes start at $3.50. Custom-made sweets are possible. (301) 718-6465; www.finishingtouchesevents.com

Novelty gifts usually can be logoed and make great giveaways. Printable Promotions (800-774-6822; www.printablepromotions.com) offers a number of casino-themed trinkets, including round playing cards (starting at $6 each for 400 decks; $150 setup for a one-color imprint). The company also sells the Executive Decision Maker, a slot machine/gumball dispenser that, when the handle is pulled, reads, “Yes,” “No,” “Call a meeting” or “Play golf.” After a $50 setup fee, the logoed machines start at $7.65 each for 72 items.

Another option is to order from a gift basket provider. Baskets ’n Such offers the Royal Flush, which includes a variety of snacks, coffee and tea and is decorated with play money, playing cards and chocolate poker chips. Baskets cost $30; corporate discounts are available. (866) 332-2753; www.basketsnsuch.com

Kitsch-free casino gifts can be had, too. Coach makes instantly recognizable change purses, such as the Coach Soho Mini Signature Small Skinny Wristlet, which retails for $48 and is discounted in bulk. (212) 615-2542; www.coach.com

An upscale money clip can make a beautiful gift. Kyle Designs sells artfully done clips in a variety of themes, including dice or playing cards. Clips cost $19 retail and $9 wholesale, and custom designs are available for a one-time $400 charge. (800) 551-5953; www.kyledesigns.com - J.V.

Step six: Hire dealers
Part of the allure of casino night, says Cohen, is that guests will get to learn how to play some of the more complicated games without fear of losing money or face. Theme party dealers, who often work in authentic casinos, will be entertaining, nonthreatening and informative.
    “The dealers make or break the party,” says Phelps Hope. “The more experienced the dealer, the better the experience.” Indeed, to ensure a more successful casino night, insist on recommendations and table tests for all dealers. If necessary, interview them yourself.
    Overstaff the casino by a little, suggests Bernstein, to allow croupiers a few short breaks. They will often mingle with the guests and engage those who aren’t interested in gambling.

Step seven: Decide on prizes
First, figure out how to distribute the play money. For corporate events, give each attendee an envelope with fake bills upon entering. It might be fun to print up some paper money with the company logo and company leaders’ faces on different denominations. For a nonprofit fund-raiser, allow guests to purchase funny money when they wish.
    After the gambling, exchange the money for raffle tickets, and raffle off prizes before guests leave. Give everyone one ticket at the start, says Denton, so those who have lost all their money will stay to see if they win.
Other options exist for a prize system, including handing rewards out to top “money” winners, but check the state’s gambling laws before committing. Some states do not allow gambling directly for prizes, which is why the raffle system is so often used.
    The theme party operator will be familiar with local laws, but double-check with the state’s gaming commission. If the state doesn’t have one, try the attorney general.
    As obvious as it sounds, remember to give prizes that guests will want. This might require some research into their preferences. Typical rewards are portable electronics, gift certificates or trips   things winners won’t have difficulty lugging home. If giving away something large, be sure to include a way to ship it to the winner’s home.
    Offer a selection of winnings in addition to the grand prize, so everyone has a chance to win something. As a booby prize, raffle off a book on how to gamble for those who end up “broke.”
    Show off the prizes on a table at the event, says Phelps. Contestants will be more encouraged to gamble if they see the goods. For example, if a car is being given away, park it inside the venue as long as you don’t have to drive through walls to get it there. (Note: While a car makes an exciting draw, some people won’t want one. It’s best to hold a separate raffle with higher-priced tickets for such a prize.)
    Windecker suggests giving away all sorts of small gifts, not just at the end of the night, but all the way through. Draw from a raffle every 15 minutes, and give prizes for every hand that’s a blackjack with both cards of the same suit, as well as for a big win in roulette or craps. That will keep the energy up all night.

Step eight: Plan the food
The hotel or other venue generally will provide food and beverage service, though it will help to have ideas in mind.
    Know that it’s unwise to mix a sit-down dinner with a casino night, as it’s hard to pry guests out of their seats. A better strategy is to put out buffet tables and action stations, along with a mixture of high and low eating tables for a small portion of guests. If the budget will allow, provide butler service to handle drink orders.
    If your need for a captive audience requires banquet-style dining, stop serving food when the casino opens, and recognize that the added seats will keep some guests from gambling.
    As a rule, don’t open the casino until a half-hour into the event, suggests Windecker. Very few attendees will want to gamble until they’ve made the buffet rounds. Then leave it open for about two and a half hours.

Step nine: Book other entertainment
In some states, laws forbid gambling-only events, even if no money is being awarded. This necessitates providing other entertainment, but it’s smart in any event to offer alternatives to gaming, such as dancing, courtesy of either a deejay or a band; songs by a celebrity look-alike; pool and darts; or a magician who roams the room after her performance, doing little tricks for interested spectators. “Remember that guests don’t see magic shows as much as we do,” says Bernstein. “They’re not going to think, ‘God, a two-year-old could figure that out.’ ”

Step eight: Plan the food
The hotel or other venue generally will provide food and beverage service, though it will help to have ideas in mind.
Know that it’s unwise to mix a sit-down dinner with a casino night, as it’s hard to pry guests out of their seats. A better strategy is to put out buffet tables and action stations, along with a mixture of high and low eating tables for a small portion of guests. If the budget will allow, provide butler service to handle drink orders.
If your need for a captive audience requires banquet-style dining, stop serving food when the casino opens, and recognize that the added seats will keep some guests from gambling.
As a rule, don’t open the casino until a half-hour into the event, suggests Windecker. Very few attendees will want to gamble until they’ve made the buffet rounds. Then leave it open for about two and a half hours.
Step nine:
Book other entertainment
In some states, laws
forbid gambling-only events, even if no money is being awarded. This necessitates providing other entertainment, but it’s smart in any event to offer alternatives to gaming, such as dancing, courtesy of either a deejay or a band; songs by a celebrity look-alike; pool and darts; or a magician who roams the room after her performance, doing little tricks for interested spectators. “Remember that guests don’t see magic shows as much as we do,” says Bernstein. “They’re not going to think, ‘God, a two-year-old could figure that out.’ ”