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What’s This About
Follow the casino’s own dress code first; for most casino floors in the evening, smart casual clothes with leather shoes are a safe choice for men.
This guide explains how to read casino dress codes and what to wear for each, such as:
How to check a venue’s rules, with Monte Carlo and Las Vegas examples
Casual outfits for daytime resort casinos
Smart casual and business casual for an evening on the floor
Suits for semi-formal and business formal rooms
Black tie, black tie optional and the rare white tie event
and many more!
Rules differ between venues and even between rooms in one building, so treat every outfit here as a starting point and check before you go.
Key Points
01Each casino sets its own dress code, and restaurants, bars and private rooms inside it can be stricter than the main floor.
02The Casino de Monte-Carlo requires appropriate dress in its games rooms from 2pm, bans shorts, ripped jeans, sportswear and trainers there, and bars T-shirts after 7pm.
03Many Las Vegas casino floors have no strict code, but resort restaurants and nightclubs often do.
04Black tie and white tie are for events that ask for them, not for an ordinary night at a casino.
What you wear to a casino depends on the venue, the room you plan to use and the time of day, so the casino’s own dress code comes first.
Films have taught many of us to picture dinner jackets at every table, yet most casinos today ask for far less, and a few ask for more.
This guide explains how to check a venue’s rules, what each common casino dress code usually means for men, and how to choose an outfit when the rules are vague.
It is written for men; the same venue rules apply to every guest, and a short note under each code gives the usual equivalent for women in the same group.
Start with the venue’s own rules
Each casino sets its own dress code, and it can differ between the entrance hall, the main gaming floor, private rooms, restaurants and bars inside the same building.
Check the casino’s website or call ahead, especially if you are visiting in the evening or have booked a restaurant or private room.
The Casino de Monte-Carlo is a good example of how detailed this can be.
Its entry conditions page, checked on 7 October 2026, asks visitors to dress appropriately in the areas open to all (the Atrium, Salle Renaissance, Café de la Rotonde, Le Salon Rose restaurant and Boutique), where T-shirts, bermuda shorts and trainers are permitted.
The games rooms, open from 2pm for table games and slot machines, require appropriate dress, and the page does not permit shorts (including bermuda shorts), jeans with rips or cut-outs, sportswear, trainers, men’s flip-flops and sandals, vest tops or beachwear there.
T-shirts and sweatshirts are also not permitted in the games rooms after 7pm.
The page adds that staff at the entrance decide whether an outfit meets the code.
Las Vegas works differently: most casino floors sit inside a resort and do not publish a strict dress code, although guides to the city still expect visitors to look presentable, particularly in the evening.
Restaurants, lounges and nightclubs inside the same resorts often set their own rules.
For example, Wynn Las Vegas lists its Delilah restaurant as “upscale casual chic”, recommends collared shirts and does not allow athletic clothing, shorts, swimwear, flip-flops or slides.
If you cannot find a rule, dress one step smarter than you would for a casual dinner out; it is easier to remove a jacket than to be turned away.
What most casinos turn away
Shorts, including bermuda shorts, in rooms with a dress code.
Flip-flops, sliders and sandals, especially in the evening.
Gym and sportswear, including trainers, in rooms with a stricter dress code.
Swimwear, beachwear and vest tops.
Ripped jeans and dirty or heavily worn clothes, whatever the label.
At stricter venues, T-shirts and sweatshirts in the evening; the Casino de Monte-Carlo bars them from its games rooms after 7pm.
Casino dress codes at a glance
The table below runs from the most relaxed code to the most formal.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns →
| Dress code | What it usually means for men | Where you are likely to meet it |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | Clean jeans or chinos, T-shirt or polo shirt, clean trainers or loafers | Daytime resort casinos and slot halls |
| Smart casual and business casual | Collared shirt or fine knit, chinos or smart trousers, leather shoes, jacket optional | Most casino floors in the evening |
| Business formal | Conservative dark suit, shirt and tie | Private rooms and dressier venues |
| Semi-formal or cocktail | Suit, usually with a tie | Evening events, dinners and dressier venues |
| Black tie | Dinner suit (tuxedo), white dress shirt, black bow tie | Galas and special evening events |
| White tie | Tailcoat, white waistcoat, wing-collar shirt, white bow tie | Rare private events only |
Our guide to men’s dress codes explains each code in more depth, beyond the casino.
1. Casual casino attire
Casual means clean, everyday clothes that suit the climate and the time of day.
In hot resort towns such as Las Vegas, shorts and T-shirts are common on daytime casino floors, but they are not accepted everywhere, so check before you go.
Casual does not mean old or dirty clothes, and many casinos tighten their expectations after dark, when visitors dress up for dinner or a show.
Casual casino outfits for men
Clean jeans or chinos; shorts only where the venue allows them during the day.
A plain T-shirt, a polo shirt or a casual short-sleeved shirt.
Clean trainers, loafers or boat shoes rather than flip-flops.
Any colours and patterns you like.
Wear: navy polo shirt, stone chinos, white leather trainers and, for air-conditioned rooms, a light cotton overshirt.
Women in the same group usually wear the same level of clothing, such as jeans or a skirt with a plain top or a sundress.
2. Smart casual and business casual casino attire
Smart casual is the most useful default for an evening at most casinos, because it meets most evening casino dress codes without looking out of place in a relaxed resort.
Business casual sits close to it: think of what many people wear to an office that has dropped the suit and tie.
Our smart casual dress code guide covers the code in detail.
Smart casual casino outfits for men
A blazer or sports coat, which is often welcome but not always required.
A collared shirt, such as an Oxford or a poplin shirt, or a fine-knit polo.
Chinos, smart cotton or wool trousers, or dark jeans with no rips where the venue accepts them.
Loafers, suede boots or plain leather shoes rather than running shoes.
No tie needed, though one suits a dressier room.
Wear: navy unstructured blazer, light blue Oxford shirt, grey wool trousers and brown suede loafers.
Women usually match this with smart trousers or a skirt, a blouse or fine knit and a jacket or cardigan.
3. Business formal casino attire
Business formal means a conservative dark suit, a shirt and a tie, the same outfit you might wear to a formal meeting.
It is a safe choice when you know a casino is formal but have no further details, although it can feel overdressed in a relaxed resort casino during the afternoon.
Business formal casino outfits for men
A navy or charcoal suit.
A white or light blue shirt.
A tie in silk or wool with a plain colour or a quiet pattern.
Black or dark brown Oxford shoes, polished, with a belt to match.
Wear: navy wool suit, light blue shirt, navy grenadine tie and dark brown cap-toe Oxfords.
If you want help choosing a classic outfit without spending heavily, see our guide to dressing in a classic style on a budget.
Women usually wear a tailored suit, a dress with a jacket or smart separates for the same level.
4. Semi-formal or cocktail casino attire
Semi-formal and cocktail sit between business formal and black tie, and hosts use the two words in slightly different ways.
The Emily Post Institute describes semi-formal for men as a dark business suit with a dress shirt, tie, leather dress shoes and dark socks.
Some evening casino events treat cocktail as permission to drop the tie or wear a velvet or patterned jacket, so read the invitation and the venue’s own guidance.
Semi-formal casino outfits for men
A suit in navy, charcoal or another dark colour, in wool or a wool blend.
A white or pale shirt with a turn-down collar.
A silk tie, which you can remove if no one else is wearing one.
Black or dark brown leather shoes and dark socks.
Wear: charcoal wool suit, white poplin shirt, burgundy silk tie and black Oxford shoes.
Women usually wear a cocktail dress, a dressy skirt and top or a tailored trouser suit at this level.
5. Black tie casino attire
Black tie is formal evening wear, so you will usually meet it at galas, private parties and special evening events held at a casino rather than on an ordinary night.
The Emily Post Institute lists the core outfit as a black dinner jacket with matching trousers, a formal white shirt with studs and cufflinks, a black bow tie, a black cummerbund or waistcoat, and black patent shoes with black dress socks.
Midnight blue is a long-established alternative to black, and a white dinner jacket is traditional for summer, the tropics or a cruise.
For a well-documented example, Daniel Craig’s black Brioni dinner suit in Casino Royale (2006) has a single-button jacket with peaked lapels faced in ribbed silk, and our guide to casino style cues from film looks at it more closely.
See our black tie dress code guide for fit and accessories.
Black tie optional
“Black tie optional” means a dinner suit is welcome, but a dark suit with a white dress shirt and a conservative tie is also acceptable, according to the Emily Post Institute.
Read the invitation carefully, because “black tie optional” is a different code from “black tie” and from “creative black tie”, which leaves room for a coloured bow tie or a velvet jacket.
Black tie casino outfits for men
A dinner jacket in black or midnight blue, with peaked or shawl lapels faced in satin or grosgrain, and matching trousers with a single side stripe.
A white dress shirt with a turn-down collar, a pleated or piqué front and double cuffs fastened with studs and cufflinks.
A black bow tie, ideally self-tied, rather than a long tie.
A black cummerbund or a low-cut waistcoat, one or the other.
Black patent or highly polished black lace-up shoes and black socks.
Women usually wear a floor-length evening dress, a dressy cocktail dress or an elegant trouser suit for black tie.
6. White tie casino attire
White tie, also called full evening dress, is the most formal evening dress code, and casinos rarely ask for it outside private events.
Unless an invitation clearly says white tie, choose black tie or a dark suit instead.
Our white tie dress code guide explains the full outfit and how it should fit.
White tie casino outfits for men
A black evening tailcoat, worn open, with matching high-waisted trousers trimmed with satin or braid along the outer seams.
A low-cut white piqué or marcella waistcoat that does not show below the front of the coat.
A white shirt with a stiff piqué or marcella front, a wing collar, studs and cufflinks.
A white piqué or marcella bow tie.
Black patent shoes and black socks; white or grey gloves are traditional.
Women usually wear a full-length evening gown with gloves and formal jewellery for white tie.
Day and evening make the biggest difference
The same casino can feel very different at 2 pm and at 10 pm.
Daytime visitors in resort towns often wear casual clothes, while evening guests dress up for dinner, shows and bars.
Private rooms and high-limit areas tend to be smarter than the main floor; in Monaco, for example, the Hello Monaco guide says men in the Casino de Monte-Carlo’s private rooms are expected to wear a jacket, which staff can lend.
If you plan to go straight from the pool to the casino and then to dinner, pack a jacket and a pair of leather shoes rather than relying on what you wore in the afternoon.
Key takeaways
What to wear to a casino depends on the venue, the room and the time of day.
Check the casino’s own website or call ahead, especially for evening visits, private rooms and restaurants.
Smart casual, with a collared shirt, smart trousers and leather shoes, suits most casino floors in the evening.
Save black tie and white tie for events that ask for them on the invitation.
Sources
Casino de Monte-Carlo, prices and conditions of entry (accessed 7 October 2026), for the dress code in the areas open to all and in the games rooms.
Wynn Las Vegas, Delilah restaurant page (accessed 7 October 2026), for an example of a resort restaurant dress code.
Feeling Vegas, Do Las Vegas casinos have dress codes? (updated 5 May 2023), for casino floors without a formal dress code.
Hello Monaco, guide to the dress code of Monaco’s casinos (undated; accessed 7 October 2026), for private rooms.
The Emily Post Institute, attire guide from casual to white tie and black tie dress code, for semi-formal, black tie and black tie optional.
Matt Spaiser, The Suits of James Bond, Bond Wardrobe Review 21: Casino Royale (2006) (29 April 2024), for the Casino Royale dinner suit.