Casino for Beginners: Etiquette to Follow

A casino is one of those places you should enter without being prepared. With all the people, machines, and tables, you can lose your way if you aren't aware of what's happening. You might be confused about how things run on the floor. In the process, you might not only lose yourself, but you also might spend more money than you intend to use. Thus, you must first know the rules (whether publicly announced or unspoken) about the casino you are about to visit.

Whether it's a small-time casino in resorts in Rizal or a known casino chain, you must be aware of the layout of floor and the people who will be in it. You might mistaken dealers as players or regular hustlers as security guards. Though it's an honest mistake, it only shows that you are a rookie. To avoid being in any of these situations, here are a few casino etiquettes to remember before you hustle.

1. You must not be below the age limit

Most casinos have the same age limit. People under 21 years old cannot enter the playing field. The age limit still depends on your country and location. Some places allow players as young as 18 years old. Also, you cannot play with a youngster in tow. Guards won't stop you if you are merely passing by the casino floor. The security guards will immediately lead you out the door once they spot you staying in any of the tables or attempting to play at the slots while in the company of a child.

2. Keep your electronics out of sight

A casino is a place for entertainment. Thus, there's no reason for you to use your smartphone. Using phones and other devices are not encouraged on the floor. If you plan to sit for a game, you should switch off your phone or turn it to silent mode. Anyway, you won't be able to get much cell reception when inside the casino. Most large casinos have thick walls to block reception. You won't get a dial tone even if you try. You have to go outside to get a connection.

3. When in doubt, ask security

Some casinos don't allow players to take photos. But nowadays, gambling is widely accepted. Being at the casino is now a mainstream past time. Therefore, some casinos are no longer camera shy. However, some establishments wish to protect their high-profile clients. That is why management is wary of those taking pictures or pointing their cameras at other people. These high-profile clients might leave the gaming floor. If you aren't sure about the policies of the casino you are going to, you should ask the security guards in the area. They are the best people to give you a rundown of the do's and don'ts on the floor.

4. Find out if there's a separate smoking area

Not all casinos have a smoking room or separate playing floor for smokers. Some casinos don't allow smoking indoors. If you have to light a cigarette, you should find out where is the nearest smoking area. That way, you won't have to exit the building to get your smoke break. If you don't smoke, then you should ask for the no-smoking table or slots area. It'll help you avoid the majority of the crowd who smokes.

5. Be responsible for your things

If you are playing alone, you shouldn't rely on others to watch your valuables. Even if the casino has several security guards on each post and cameras installed everywhere, pickpocketers can quickly get past them. The crowd and other distractions can overwhelm guards on duty or get distracted giving other people a chance to steal valuables from players. Hence, you should always place your purse on your lap. Keep your wallet secured. If you have to put it in your pocket, you should avoid placing it at the back.

You shouldn't leave your casino tips on top of the table or have the dealer watch it for you. You might become a victim of short-changing. Always recount the casino chips you receive from casino personnel. Don't leave the table at once. You should wait until you are sure you have the exact number of chips you need.

6. Always have company

As much as possible, you shouldn't leave the casino by yourself. Having someone with you ensures your safety. If you have to depart from the casino late at night and walk over to the parking lot, you should ask a security guard to escort you. You never know who you run into on your way to your car.

When you know someone from the crowd, someone can track your whereabouts while on the playing floor. You might not be joined at the hip all the time. You can meet up after you are finished playing. As long as you have someone by your side at the end of the day, then you can be safe.

7. Take advantage of free daily lessons

Some casinos offer lessons to beginners who wish to hustle at the table. If you have prior knowledge of the game, you can spend time at the table to build your confidence. If not then you should get to the casino early to get a free chance of learning the rules as well as the ins and outs of the game. Ask the questions you have in mind to find out as much as you can about the game

But, you should remember that not all dealers are the same. Some croupiers do not entertain questions. Others are rude especially when they know the player is riding for free. If you experience this, you should leave the casino at once and look for a different place that orients beginners and welcomes newcomers. Of course, you should keep in mind that you should avoid peak hours to have a one-on-one chance with the dealer.


These are the basics of casino etiquette. As a first-timer, you should observe them avoid feeling out of place of getting thrown out of the playing floor. Also, these help you feel confident about yourself and build your playing skills.

10 Best Casino Games To Try at Local Casino

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Gambling is fun and exciting. Unfortunately, it's designed to strap you from your money. You may have a dose of beginner's luck, but it's nothing but a fantasy to keep you from hitting several rounds at the table. Celebrate your wins with a shot of drinks and you'll end up with nothing by the time you get out of your funk.

Before you get to that state, aim for some clean fun. Check several Metro Manila casinos and find which offers the best service and amenities. As a player, you must be in your best behavior and state of mind if you want to get bag some wins.

Try your luck at these games the next time you go to a Philippines casino.

1. Baccarat

The game involves the banker. The rule of the game is to draw cards and get a total that is closest to nine. Aces serve as one, tens are zero, and 2 up to 9 play as their actual value.

There are two hands dealt - Banker and Player; and three choices to wager: the Player's side, the Banker's hand, and Tie. The player's hand isn't related to you or any player while the banker isn't the casino or house. You must select which hand wins or all three occurrences.

If the Player's and Banker's hands are the same, it's a tie. Neither bet wins or loses.

2. Blackjack

Blackjack provides the best odds of winning. You play against the dealer and not other skilled players. All you have to do is have a number that beats the dealer's number without surpassing 21.

During a less busy time, the dealer can walk you through the game. A practice during an afternoon in the casino can make you comfortable with the game. Practice with friends and other people familiar with the game to understand the ins and outs. Though it's relatively easy to play, it is also easy to lose money from rash decisions.

3. Casino Poker

Players bet their money on the table, but the house (casino) gets a part of the winnings no matter who wins. The casino staff relaxes around the table as players police or "check" each other. They look for "tells" or read people and their actions it's a strategy to know what's on the hand of opponents.

A wad of cash to bet ante up the game and skill for a poker face will give you success on poker than other games on the floor.

4. Craps

If there's somewhere lively, full of hooting and hollering, the crowd is in for the excitement of the dice game. Craps is a dice game. All you must to do is bet on the roll of your dice on the appropriate box.

Craps is the second best when considering odds. It gives a 50-50 chance of taking some winnings home. However, don't get caught in the party at the table. The clapping and energy can be exciting and contagious. You may end up betting more to extend your stay at the table.

5. Pai Gow

Pai Gow is poker game against the dealer. It uses a 53-deck card where each player has seven cards in their hand. Each player makes two poker hands out of the cards - a five-card hand and a two-card hand. If a player loses one hand but wins with the other, it is a push and gets his or her bet returned.

Pai Gow players cannot arrange their two-card hand to have a higher chance of winning. They can't make it a better hand than their five card hand. Any player who arranges their cards automatically loses as it is a foul.

Pai Gow also allows players to be the baker if they have enough bankroll to cover bets. The banker has to arrange their cards the "house way."

6. Roulette

Playing the roulette is simple. It also pays well. To play, bet your chosen numbers or favorite digits. The dealer spins the wheel. If your number comes out, you win.

There's a 50-50 chance of winning when you bet on Reds or Blacks. If it landed on Red when you chose Red, it doubles your bet. It may seem easy, but there are an extra green 0 and 00 positions on the wheel.

7. Slots

The more money you bet, the higher the chance of winning. Placing the max amount in a penny machine gives better odds than putting the minimum, say two cents.

Progressive slots with multi-million dollar jackpots, such as Megabucks and Wheel of Fortune, will make you lose more money than betting at cards a table. Casinos take from those machines are higher as the slots rarely pay out.

8. Texas Hold'em

Texas Hold’em deals two personal cards and five community cards turned up on the board. You must make the best five-hand card using the seven cards you have.

Players do not put up any money to start the hand. The deal rotates around the table eventually making each player the big blind, small blind, and dealer.

9. Video Poker

Video poker is customizable as it enables game-play choices. It provides the player control over the outcome of the hands you play. Some games have standard "table" poker hands. You can hold or discard any of or all of the cards. If your hand matches any of the qualifying poker hands, you win the corresponding prize.

Different game variations exist to choose from, but it operates on the same standard. Pay attention to the type of machine you play and how to use it to guarantee a win. Video poker has the smallest house edges in casino, but it can give you the edge you need for big-ticket games.

10. Keno

A numbers game, Keno is fast-paced lottery-draw style game. Choose the numbers called spots you want to play per draw. You can select ten from 10 to 80 on each card. Select how much you want to wager and decide how many consecutive draws you want to play.


Gambling is fun, but it's not a reason to waste hard-earned money. Always be responsible for your actions. Be aware of what it costs you. Spending time in a casino to try games is fine as long as you practice caution and set boundaries on spending.

Gambling Errors: The Four Worst Bankroll Mistakes You Can Do

“Gambling can be just as addictive as drugs and alcohol. Teens and their parents need to know that they are not just gambling with money, they are gambling with their lives.” –Jennifer McCausland

Gambling on its own is already considered a risk. After all, you do not just part with a reasonable amount of money and expect the odds to be always in your favor. A degree of chance is always at stake whenever you are playing any sort of betting game because no matter how lucky you might think you are; winning every single game is an impossibility. For some, it is precisely this probability that entices them to keep playing while the rest relish the idea of testing their luck. However, as anyone who has gambled for any period would know, mistakes whether big or small can be detrimental to your gambling experience—regardless of what motivates you to play.

Although controlling the odds or where certain cards would fall is beyond your control, it is best to learn how to be aware of what these mistakes are and avoid them in order to have a more lucrative gambling experience. So, before heading to one of the major casinos in Manila, it is best to have your playing technique in check and avoid the gambling mistakes listed below:

1.)    Gambling without a budget 

Only a very few people can walk into a casino and bet without care or thought of whatever happens to their money. These people have more than enough money to spare, and if you do not fall into this category and are constantly betting impetuously, you might want to rethink your choices. We all have limits, and it is perfectly fine to have them. Our gambling budget and constraints largely depend on how much we earn and how much we can spend for us to have a good time. However, take note that apart from those two factors, you do need to consider your obligations in coming up with a gambling budget. After all, if you have more bills to pay than money to burn in a casino, you probably should not even be there, to begin with.

2.)    Gambling with borrowed money 

If you had to borrow money just so you can gamble, you should not be gambling in the first place as it means you could not even afford to do so. Betting with borrowed money would only bury you deeper in the obligation hole. Similarly, people who routinely use their credit cards to bet can be incredibly irresponsible. As people do not see any cash changing hands, they tend to fall into the misguided manner of playing more recklessly or impulsively than usual. Should this be the case, you would only be effectively digging yourself deeper and deeper into debt. This is even worse if you are playing with borrowed money from a relative or a friend --which, consequently, is a cardinal sign of gambling addiction. In this case, you should probably go and seek professional help.

3.)    Betting with money set aside for another purpose 

Much like how you should never bet with borrowed money, you should not gamble with money for a specific purpose either. Money set aside for another purpose such as payment for the rent, bills, groceries and the like should never be used as betting money. Not only would it be considered as an incredibly bad mistake, but it is a bad investment as well and can point to signs of gambling addiction. Should you lack money to spare, then it might be best for you to walk away. Remember, the bills are not going to pay themselves and food is not going to magically materialize on the table.

4.)    Chasing your losses 

Losing can be incredibly frustrating. But losing even more in an attempt to recover what you have lost is even more infuriating. If you are spending more money gambling just so you can regain the money you have lost over a period of bad beats, do not. The logic does not make the remotest sense as there is always a likely chance you would not win. If this is the kind of gambling behavior you operate on, you might want to steer clear from gambling for a while.   

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Four Reasons Why M.I.C.E Should be Supported by The Government

What is MICE? 

To the unaware and uninformed, MICE is an acronym for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. Generally planned well in advance, it is a type of tourism wherein large groups are brought together and are geared towards a specific purpose. Once a location has been slated for this particular event, a gathering with a striking semblance to a convention takes place. Apart from this, the MICE industry is essentially what you would call a service industry. It encompasses finance, travel, trade and transportation and is characterized by three highs: high growth potential, highly beneficial innovation as well as high added values. As a result, it offers large outputs, large industry associations as well as large opportunities for employment with the respective advantages being the efficient utilization of human resources, assets, and technological know-how.

With a myriad of benefits attached to it, support from the government should not only be expected but perfunctory. Apart from the obvious growth in revenue a MICE convention would result to, it brings industry counterparts together as well as assist in the synergy ideas and bringing in additional clients. Additionally, it would serve as a cost effective means of advertising and would guarantee a boost in tourism which is why many countries would vie to promote themselves as a hot MICE destination. For this reason, MICE hotels in various countries have mushroomed seeing as economic growth and the opportunity to obtain a major piece of the industry offered in these conventions are just two of the benefits. Apart from the major boost in tourism and economic potential, here are some of the many reasons why MICE should be bolstered by the government:


1.)  MICE is a platform for Transfer of Knowledge and Technology


Undoubtedly, a chance to host the International Convention or Exhibition is a coveted chance most countries are vying for. This is because they would be incredibly fortunate to benefit in terms of economic value but the knowledge and technology transfer that the foreign participants, international speakers, and exhibitors would bring in with them is incredibly expansive. The country's local audience would have a lot to learn and can integrate all they have learned to their respective industries whether that may be in the medical or business field. As a result, professional and industrial growth can be expected which would gradually build up to economic growth.

2.) MICE would usher in tourists

Apart from the foreign participants and international guests one can expect in a MICE convention, the host country can also expect a horde of tourists to arrive in their country. A MICE convention is not only a convention by ordinary means, it gathers not only foreign speakers and international guests but experts of a particular field and industry as well which can potentially interest foreign investors and tourists. And who knows? Maybe one of those foreign investors may decide to invest in the host country as well.

3.) MICE benefits multiple industry suppliers

MICE creates a snowball effect to the economy and the industry directly related to it. An international exhibition or conference would involve not only hotels but airplanes, travel, tour operators, corporate giveaways, freight forwarders, production houses, exhibition venues, catering and so on. An event this big would certainly need all of those and because of that, the industry involved would not compete but rather collaborate in various different projects.  In a MICE event, a lot of partners would need to pitch in in order to make the event a success, a single entity cannot accomplish it alone.

4.) MICE gives a positive image to the host country

Whenever a country has the privilege of hosting a MICE event, it will without a doubt put its best foot forward in making sure that not only will their foreign guests feel welcome, but have an excellent experience as well. If a MICE event is staged well, foreign visitors and international participants will relay their experiences through word of mouth to their countrymen and if they have a positive experience, this will entice more tourists to visit the host country. This would all redound to the host country as, after all, a country with an excellent international image would attract foreign investors and a lot of opportunities.

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5 Qualities of a Globally Competitive Hotel, Resort and Casino this 2017 and Beyond

“Guests of the future - and in some cases, today’s guests - will require increasingly personal, connected experience.” - www.amadeus.com

The hotel industry revolves around the idea of providing the best alternative accommodation for guests in the absence of a personally-owned property. To be the best, companies must maintain a high level of hospitality and competent customer support to make their visitors at home.

However, digitalization and competition as a whole has started to change the shape of the mainstream arena. Now, it’s no longer enough to provide a fine room with its basic amenities intact. Guests are looking for a better experience that will both address their comfort as well as needs for entertainment.

In the effort to identify the specific things that make modern-day hotel, resort and casino globally competitive, experts and researches found the following common qualities:

Deep knowledge on the geographical, financial and generation differences of the customers

There are existing market groups that the industry caters to, and dealing with them has become easier with the help of technological advancements. However, there is currently a significant increase in newer market groups coming from the rising economy. This added diversity becomes a real challenge for hotels considering their differences in wants and needs.

For international industries such as luxury hotels, the need to have profound knowledge on this matter is essential for providing high-quality service to various guest profiles.

Collaborative and customer-centered approach to service

Crowd-sourcing is nothing new. Ever since the internet provided the convenience of communicating with lots of people around the world, companies found the benefit of using this method to conduct surveys and consult the public of their opinion as regards to different accommodation services hotels offer.

By collaborating with actual and potential customers, hotel resort and casino managers will have a better way of assessing the efficiency and relevance of their services to the needs of the public.

Immersive, flexible and multi-dimensional use of innovation

Local and non-local tourists are now looking for means to make their hotel reservations easier. It’s imperative to the fast-paced, unstoppable innovation. For the globally competitive ones, the need to explore the boundaries between the digital and real world, the usage of 3-D projection and the like has now become a priority.

It’s a world driven by technological advancement. Lagging behind one’s competitors can be detrimental to ones overall marketing strategy.

Competent and prepared leaders and managerial staff

There is no substitute to efficient business management manned by real people. No matter how groundbreaking those new technology can be, the heart of the hotel industry lies on the ability to relate and serve the guests - something which can only be done with the supervision of actual people.

For a company to seriously ace the competition, skilled individuals from the higher ranking positions up to their members need to be efficient in their respective roles.

Top-grade security measures and facilities

The leading hotel, resort and casino industries also have the best security measures. And it just keeps on getting better. One of the major determing factors that make guests feel satisfied with the service is the amount of security they feel while on their stay.

With the increase percentage of people showing interest in travelling, it’s only appropriate for companies to provide the best security detail to ensure the safety of their guests.

The luxury hotel, resort and casino industry is here to stay. But for current companies such as those hotel & casino in Manila to stay on top of the global league, understanding the need to continually make the service convenient for guests is a must.