What to expect?
Prior to your event, we can come to the site of the party and help you with the arrangement of the gaming equipment and site layout. On the day of the event, we arrive at the site hours before the party starts and set up the gaming tables.
Typically the casino will run for three hours. To get the gaming started, we can supply you with fun casino gaming chips with a pre-determined value. You will pass these out to all of your guests as they arrive, or at a specific time.
Next, the guest will go to the gaming table of their choice to play – where the dealer will exchange their “currency” with gaming chips. The guest will play for a pre-determined allotted time (up to you), and they will be free to roam from table to table with their chips.
At the end of the three hours, the players will then turn in their chips for either a raffle or voucher depending on how you will be awarding the prizes. There are a couple of different ways you can do this which we can explain in the pre-planning process.
What is your booking policy?
We require a 50% down payment (of the total party cost) to reserve your tables and dealers. The balance is paid upon arrival.
Do the party guests need to be 21?
Since we provide our services "Just for Fun," party guests can be of any age. As a matter of fact, 25% of the events we service are for Birthday Parties, Bar Mitzvahs / Bat Mitzvahs, Sweet 16s, Graduations, Quinces, etc...
Are casino theme parties legal?
The most common question people ask when they hear about casino parties is, "Is this legal?" The answer is YES. What makes it legal is that, in spite of the appearance of a casino, there is no actual gambling going on. It's all make-believe, pretend, fantasy gambling. You can bet as much as you want, lose as much as you want and win as much as you want, and you walk away with the same amount of money you started with. That's because only play money is used, usually in the form of chips, which has no real monetary value. And even though most people will play the games just for the fun of playing (or the education and experience they can gain), sometimes it makes the whole event more exciting if there is something to shoot for a reward for being "number one." That's why most casino theme parties provide one or more non-cash prizes for the guests that earn the highest winnings (or chips) by the end of the event. Prizes can be as elaborate as a new car, a trip to Las Vegas, or a wide-screen television set. Or they can be as simple as a free lunch at a local restaurant or a plaque or other type of award. Guests can be any age to play. If you would like us to provide additional information concerning this topic, please feel free to contact us.
How does a casino party work?
The term "Casino Theme Party" is used to describe an event, where people come together to play games commonly found in casinos in Las Vegas, Monte Carlo or Atlantic City, but do not actually wager money or other things of value. A casino themed party may be held as a fund-raiser activity for a non-profit charity organization, Texas Hold'em Tournament or it may be a private celebration held by an individual, group or employer. The major difference between the two is that those who attend a fund-raising casino party are usually asked to make a donation for admission to the event, whereas those who attend a private casino party are usually simply invited to come and have fun. At either event, guests arrive to find a variety of casino games available for their amusement (blackjack, craps, roulette, poker or Texas Hold-em, slot machines and more). Guests are usually given an iHostPoker voucher for a fixed amount of "starter chips." Guests then take their iHostPoker voucher to their favorite game table in exchange for chips and try to win as much as they can during the course of the evening. At the end of the evening, the guests turn in their chips for raffle tickets. Prizes can be raffled off or an auction can be held and guests can bid on prizes with their raffle tickets.
How long can my guests play?
We include 3 hours of playing time. This is usually more than adequate, especially if your event has other activities. We will work with you to determine the best schedule for the casino portion of your event. Setup and breakdown are not part of your 3 hours. Please note that we can setup prior to your guest arriving at no extra cost and the dealers can show up 15 minutes prior to the casino event starting. We recommend the event to start half an hour to an hour after your guest arriving. For example: If your invitations call for 7:00 p.m., we can setup no later than 6:30 p.m. and the dealers would arrive at 7:45 p.m. to start dealing at 8:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m.
Do we need to tip the dealers?
Tipping our dealers is not expected. If you feel someone goes above and beyond, you may feel free to tip them at your discretion. No pressure at all – we take care of our staff, and they enjoy what they do.
When do you set up, breakdown and remove the equipment?
We will work with you and the venue to determine the best time to setup. Usually we deliver and setup well before the start of your event so it's all ready when your guests arrive. We remove our equipment upon termination of the casino event.
Example of Tables Needed
iHost Poker will help design a layout for your specific needs and space requirements.
You may not need as many tables depending on other non-casino events.
PLEASE NOTE: That we base the amount of equipment needed by the rule that at any given time 60% of your guest will be playing the casino games. Also please keep in mind the smaller amount of people you have attend the higher the percentage will be playing at any given time.