This was a question we posed to author Jean Scott back in September, 2005, and her response then still holds true, so here's what she said:
I spent 16 pages of More Frugal Gambling talking about tipping, since greasing palms is a way of life in casinos.
Here are the basics: You’re never required to tip, but you will look very stingy if you don’t. The amount of a tip is a personal choice and there’s no exact figure that’s "correct" (unless a tip is added to a bill); there’s always a range of "acceptable" amounts. You aren’t in a popularity contest and don’t need to feel pressured into giving an extra-large amount. Employees always want a big tip -- they’re human, after all -- but they’re usually grateful for something in the lower part of the range.
Plan your tipping ahead so you don’t have to make instant decisions in the excitement of the moment, a time when you often overtip and regret it later. Many players use a percentage system for their tipping on top machine jackpots, generally ranging from .5% to 2%, but most commonly 1%. My husband Brad and I use a graduated percentage system, starting at $10 (1%) for $1,000, but decreasing the percentage as the jackpot climbs, with $20 (.5%) for a $4,000 payout and a maximum of $40-$100 for higher jackpots of $8,000-$20,000. We go to the high end of the range when service is quick and/or especially pleasant, to the low end when it’s slow and/or surly. We also always keep small bills on hand so we don’t have to depend on the jackpot payoff to have the denominations of bills we want to give.
Sharing of tips among employees is common, but you can’t always assume that. And who’s included in the share arrangement varies widely from casino to casino. Often, supervisors and security personnel aren’t included and sometimes aren’t even allowed to accept tips. You can always ask one of the employees. We use a spread-it-around method, especially if we don’t know the exact share arrangement. We keep the amount of the total tip we’ve decided on in small bills and give one to three bills to everyone who shows up (and is allowed to take a tip), including the porter tidying up nearby and the cocktail waitress walking past. This makes a lot of people happy ... and makes us look more generous than if we gave the same amount to one person.
For input on this subject from other LVA-affiliated experts, check out our comprehensive Las Vegas Tipping Guide in the LVA Visitor Guide section, where you'll also find a wealth of other useful information, including our guides to Childcare options, Special-Needs Visitors, free WiFi Hotspots, Las Vegas Weddings, "Green" Vegas, First Aid, Radio Stations, and a whole lot more.
