How to Choose the Right Venue for a Casino-Themed Party

Choosing the right venue for a casino-themed party can enhance the evening and save you money. Of course, you want somewhere that looks fantastic so your guests will walk in and think, "Wow!" However, there's an aspect that many clients forget that can have an impact - what is it like for the suppliers who have to get everything into the building? You may think that is not your concern, but it can affect the price and carefully thought out timings for your event. After decades of providing fun casino hire, roulette hire and blackjack hire for weddings, parties and corporate events, I've learnt that the prettiest venue isn't necessarily the easiest one to work in. Unfortunately, the difficulties don't always become apparent until after you've booked it, so before you fall in love with the chandeliers, marble floors and spectacular views, here are some things I'd recommend checking.

How much space do you need for a fun casino?

Let's start with the obvious one. You need enough room for your casino tables, your guests and all the other entertainment you've booked. As a rough guide, allow around 10ft x 7ft (3m x 2.2m) per casino table. That is enough room for the table, the croupier on one side and players on the other. If you're standing in a venue trying to visualise that amount of space, here's my slightly less technical method that sounds weird but gives a good mental picture. If you can imagine a large single bed with people standing around the edges that's roughly the footprint we're talking about. If you plan for one or two casino tables it’s not a good idea to place it/them in the centre of the room. It's amazing how many clients do not talk to us when making a room plan, perhaps thinking 'they're just tables like any other table'. If the setting up time is tight and you've planned a totally unsuitable space for a supplier that could upset the whole plan and delay all the entertainment because a hasty on the spot re-plan is necessary. You might also have a dance floor, DJ or band, photobooth, bar, dining tables, decorations and plenty of guests wandering around to consider. Ideally, casino tables should be together or relatively close to each other. That creates more atmosphere and makes the casino look like part of the event rather than two random tables. Try to position the casino away from loudspeakers. Our professional croupiers aren't just there to deal cards and spin roulette wheels. We explain the games, chat to guests and have a bit of banter with them and that is really difficult if we’re three feet away from speakers cranked up to eleven, your guests aren't going to hear a word we're saying. Modern hotels often make excellent casino venues. We are used to all kinds of circumstances so this advice is desirable but not essential.

In my experience, some of the easiest venues to work in are modern hotels with good transport links and parking. Even better is a venue where the casino can be set up in an adjoining room or in an area that can be partitioned off as this gives you the best of both worlds. The casino is part of the party, keeping everyone in or close to the dance floor but not sitting on top of the band or DJ. Guests can hear the croupier explaining how to play blackjack or roulette, while still being close enough to enjoy everything else happening at the event.

The question most people forget to ask

When you visit a venue, you will be asking;

Will my guests like it?

Does it look good?

Is there enough room?

Is the food good?

Is there a bar?

Is there somewhere for people to dance?

You are asking the right questions, but add another, 'what is access like for suppliers?' This can have a significant impact on the cost of your fun casino hire and other entertainment. Things such as red routes, pedestrianised streets, restricted loading, no parking, upper floor function rooms with no or small lift, long corridors, restricted supplier access times, difficult loading bays, equipment that has to be carried a long distance, can all mean extra staff, extra time, and for the client, extra cost.

I recently had a client who wanted their casino at a venue in the heart of London, between Bond Street and Piccadilly. Mock Vegas have been to many, many venues, but not this one. This is when experience kicks in and I investigated access. The venue was in a pedestrianised area with kerb markings that meant there was no loading at all on any day at any time, apart from one small section of road. I contacted the venue several times and left four messages asking for access details and a call back. I heard nothing. This is a red flag. So I used a trick up my sleeve and asked my client to contact them. Venues do not want to lose clients. Low and behold the venue got back to me immediately. Once we finally established the access arrangements, things were about as awkward as I'd expected. We would have needed to carry the equipment around 200 metres through Bond Street Christmas shoppers, followed by four flights of stairs. The general manager was vague too, plenty of "should be" and "probably" answers. I was told I could probably park closer because "everybody does it." I am confident some do, but I am also confident the general manager would have no idea whether everybody also got a parking fine (or two, for unloading and then loading again at the end of the event), clamped or even had their vehicle removed. I had to go back to the client and revise the quotation to include additional staff to move the equipment.

Never assume that a venue's access arrangements are someone else's problem. They can become part of your entertainment bill.

A beautiful venue can be a logistical nightmare

One of the biggest mistakes I see is choosing a venue entirely because it looks fantastic. I fully understand why, but think about what happens before your guests arrive. The casino tables, equipment, DJ equipment, decorations, photobooth and other entertainment all have to get into the building somehow and probably roughly at the same time if there is a room turnaround.

You could have the most spectacular event venue in London, perhaps a Thames riverboat, but at which pier does the supplier stop? Where does the equipment get unloaded? Where does the van go afterwards? How far does someone have to carry everything? Will the pier be packed with tourists? If the answer involves hundreds of metres, multiple flights of stairs and a parking fine, the spectacular view also becomes a spectacular bill. Luckily some piers are much better than others and further up the river some boats have their own dedicated moorings with easy access.

One London venue that got everything right

It's not all bad news with older buildings. Many historic venues in central London can be difficult because they were built long before anyone had considered moving modern event equipment through them. Banks, warehouses and other historic buildings have often been converted into spectacular event spaces. One ex-finance house is absolutely marvellous (see images). It has everything you would expect from an impressive London venue - beautiful wood panelling, high ceilings, opulent interior.

From a supplier’s perspective it is impressive too, because the goods entrance was just across the pavement from the road, straight to the area where the casinos can be set up. Zero additional access cost for the client. That's the sort of thing you don't necessarily notice or even think of when you're looking at photographs of a venue online trying to arrange a corporate event with a budget.

At the other end of the scale there is the converted brewery...

I've also worked at several events in a converted old brewery in central London with wonderful event rooms. It does look good but getting equipment in and out is another story. One tiny loading bay and one lift for event rooms that can accommodate hundreds of guests. The lift was always in use but once you had got the equipment up to the correct floor there were narrow corridors containing venue staff, chairs and trolleys. Imagine trying to manoeuvre several large casino tables through there while other suppliers are attempting the same thing. This all takes time. If you've got a 7pm start, the clock doesn't care how beautiful the venue is.

Ask for a blank room plan

Here's something very simple that can make organising your event much easier, ask the venue for a blank room plan and send it to your suppliers.  Tell them:

How many guests you're expecting

What entertainment you've booked

What furniture will be in the room

Where the dance floor will be

Where the bar will be

Where fire exits and access doors are

What time suppliers can access the venue

Then ask all your suppliers where they would recommend positioning their equipment. We can tell you how much space the roulette and blackjack tables need, your photobooth company can tell you where they need to go, your DJ or band can advise on their requirements, and then gradually you have a much better idea of whether the room actually works.

Don't forget the electricity

Mock Vegas always use lamps on the tables so everyone can see what is going on even when the lights are down low. We don't require enormous amounts of power, we carry extension cables and all equipment is PAT tested. Lighting, music, a photobooth and other entertainment may also need electrical points.

What about the guests?

Visit the venue yourself.

How do guests get there?

Is there parking?

Is public transport convenient?

Are there lots of stairs?

Is there a lift?

Will older guests or anyone with mobility difficulties be comfortable?

Perhaps most importantly, how will everyone get home?

A beautiful venue might look wonderful on Instagram but it becomes a concern when everyone is trying to find a taxi.

Check what happens after the event

Here's another question that people often don't think to ask, can suppliers collect their equipment straight after the event?  Some venues have strict policies about this. For example, the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane has a policy requiring suppliers to return the following day because of restrictions relating to the residents opposite.  That will mean an additional charge.

What if the room needs to be turned around?

Some venues are brilliant at this. You might have dinner in one area, then guests move to the bar or lounge while the room is transformed. Dining tables are folded away while suppliers come in and set up the entertainment and suddenly you have a completely different room for the evening. This can be an excellent space solution, but it needs to be planned. Your suppliers will need to know when they can arrive and how much time they have. If your casino hire is supposed to start at 8pm and we're still trying to get equipment through the kitchen at 7:55pm, it's going to be a late start.

Don't let the venue's maximum capacity dictate everything

Have a realistic idea of how many people will attend your event. People may drop out which is disappointing but normal and from experience you would much rather see a room that comfortably accommodates your expected numbers than squeeze everyone into the smallest possible space. Venues will usually give you capacities for seated and standing events, along with information about dance floors and other layouts. Remember that the venue's maximum capacity isn't necessarily the ideal capacity for a party. A room that can technically hold 200 people doesn't mean you can comfortably fit those 200 along with a dance floor, a bar, a band, a photobooth and four casino tables into it.

My biggest piece of advice

After decades of providing fun casino hire, roulette hire and blackjack hire, the biggest lesson I've learnt is this:

Talk to your suppliers before you commit to the venue.

Send them the room plan.

Tell them how many guests you're expecting.

Tell them what else is going into the room.

Ask what they need.

And, above all, ask the venue what is access like for suppliers. Don't just accept vague answers, if possible walk the route yourself. If it involves a dozen corridors, a kitchen, a goods lift that's barely large enough for four people and a maze of trolleys, imagine yourself doing it with a collection of IKEA flat-pack furniture and you've got a trolley and someone helping you. Could you reasonably get it from outside the building into the room? If the answer is no, your suppliers probably won't find it particularly easy either.

Absolutely, choose the venue with your guests in mind, but also nod your head toward your suppliers. When the practical side has been properly planned that's a much better reason for your guests to remember the night.

It’s important for you, your budget, and how well things go.

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