Atlantic City Games is in the business of supporting your organization's Las Vegas style theme event. We understand that our success depends on your success. We urge you to ask us any and all questions you may have concerning the operation of your event. Ideally, you can afford to hire a professional event coordinating service, but sometimes it just isn't in the cards, for those times, we have put together a short but we hope thought provoking planning guide.

• Set a Goal for the Number of Guests

Whether the purpose of your event is to raise money or is strictly for its entertainment value, it is important to determine how many guests you expect to attend. While doing so can sometimes be difficult with a first time fund-raising event, if your committee members give it some serious thought a reasonable number can usually be determined. The key is to be realistic, if previous events average 150 guests don't set your sites on 400. We only ask that the estimate is make in good faith and you keep us informed as the expectations change so that we can make sure you have the right amount of tables for your guests.
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• Set a Date

Setting a date is very important. The golden rule is to plan well in advance. Generally, you will need a minimum of three months to put a successful fund-raising event together. Corporate and personal events on the other hand can, if need be, managed on much shorter time frames, the only restrictions being on the availability of the equipment configuration you want. When selecting a particular date try and find one that doesn't conflict with other major events. You will find however, that all dates conflict with something, so don't expect a "perfect" date. Fund-raisers should definitely avoid holidays. Note that Fridays and Saturdays are the best days for fund-raisers, but that weekdays will offer you discounts with us and most caterers, DJ's, halls, hotels and other locations. By using these discounts, starting the party earlier, and cutting the event's length down slightly you can still be very successful. Corporate events should note that December is our busiest month, most weekends sell out early in the year, so plan well ahead. Remember we know it is not always possible to have lots of time to put your event together, so even if you only have a few days we can most likely help. Recently, we helped a group that had a golf tournament for 700 people get rained out at 5AM and we put together a package that got them playing casino games by 11:30AM that same morning!
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• Select a Location

Giving yourself plenty of time in the early planning will serve you well in securing the right location, at the right price. Try and match the location with any theme you are planning. We mention this because many groups tag themes onto their casino theme, for example Wild West Casino, Hollywood Casino, Cruise Ship Casino and Gangster Casino. Naturally, the location will depend a lot on your budget and in the case of fund-raisers the donation being requested of the guests. Make sure that you keep the location in close proximity to the area, in which, your group lives or works. When in doubt ask us, we've been in just about every location imaginable in Southern California.
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• Food & Refreshments

It is not necessary to offer a full lunch or dinner at your event, but whenever you put together a group of people for three or four hours you will need to make some provision for refreshments or finger-food. Food can be used as an additional source of revenue, at any rate it must be factored into your budget. If you need a referral to a reliable caterer in your area just give us a call.
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• Decorations

Of course, the most important decorations or props you need to set a casino theme are the table games from Atlantic City Games. They are more than sufficient to generate an electric and enjoyable Las Vegas atmosphere. Some groups choose to add additional character to the event with either small decorations (like Jumbo Playing Cards for the walls) or by developing a tag along theme (like Roaring Twenties Casino) with the help of additional props. Ask us for information about what's available and where. When a tag along theme is being used let us know as we can either supply our dealers with special attire or have them dress in theme from their own wardrobe.
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• Promotion

If your event is a fund-raiser, than promotion will be your lifeblood. The best fund-raisers, generating the most money, put their biggest efforts into getting donations before the day of the event. It's important that you advertise through all available channels open for little or no cost, such as community service announcements. These avenues work to create awareness, which is good, however they do not take the place of a hard working sales force working the streets, phones and mail to get people to make the needed donations.
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• Tickets

Before you can sell the event you must have a ticket to give as a receipt. We suggest that you find a local merchant (restaurants are great) to underwrite the printing cost of the tickets. Naturally, they will get name recognition or even a coupon attached to the ticket, either way both sides are ahead.
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• Sponsors

Sponsors are most important for fund-raisers, however we've seen many business' use sponsors at events they put on for their customers thereby defraying some of the event's costs. If a merchant can't attend maybe they will sponsor a game table. In exchange for a donation the merchant gets a plaque (a nice hand made tent card for example) on one of the blackjack, craps or roulette tables indicating their sponsorship of that table. Set a sponsor price on each type of table, craps and roulette generally go for a higher rate than the blackjack. We know of events that have covered their entire cost of the tables this way. If possible don't let this option pass you by.
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• Prizes

Merchants and friends will provide for your event for the asking! If you are planning a fund-raiser you shouldn't have to spend a penny for prizes. Make sure the merchants get their name in any printed materials and clearly announce them before their prize is given away, as a way of thanking them. You can even give them free admission to the event. Fundraising groups should contact the California Bureau of Gambling Control at (916) 263-3408 regarding the rules and regulations regarding prizes at fundraising events.
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• Casino Equipment

You can leave these worries to Atlantic City Games! We will discuss your needs with you and help you decide on the types of games you need and the optimum number of each. We will work to get the right number of tables that will properly service all of your guests but at the same time not leave empty tables standing around, sending the message that nobody showed up.
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• Timing

There are two general rules that we try to follow. First, the start time shouldn't be so late that guests have to stay out past midnight. Contrary to the notion that everybody wants to party all night long, most people want to be home at a reasonable time. That means you should consider starting your event between 6-8 PM depending on the length. Second, don't keep the casino going longer than four hours. Our dealers are contracted for 4 hours and anytime over that creates additional costs, but more importantly people just start to get tired after 3 or so hours of doing anything. You want to leave them on a high wanting more, not tired and wishing to go home.
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• Other Entertainment

We always suggest some provision for background music or other ambient sound. A lively event is a slightly noisy one. Generally, the excitement at the tables will be sufficient for a fun event, but if the room is too big for the group or the tables are split into different rooms, there may not be enough noise. If a DJ or band is not in your budget, ensure that you provide some other source of background music just to round out the atmosphere. If a DJ or band is in the plans, we will be happy to refer you to one in your area.
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• Clean-up

You can trust Atlantic City Games to remove all the gaming equipment promptly once you event ends. You need to make sure there are others on hand to help with the mess that will surely be made by your guests. If you are going to a hotel or convention center then you will get to skip this fun part.
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• Miscellaneous

You may need to provide for additional help with the following areas: entrance table/check-in of guests, food tables & servers, wet bar, volunteer dealers to eliminate the cut of our professional dealers (ask us for the cost difference), master of ceremonies, waitresses/waiters and early cash-out table (normally the dealers cash everyone out at the end of the event).
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We hope that we have given you some good ideas and points for consideration. We expect that we have missed some areas of concern to you however, so feel free to call and talk to us about these. These events are of such great fun that it's hard to do the wrong thing, so relax and let us help you put on a really super event.