This is a Perth-only opportunity due to WA’s specific gaming laws, and it allows for fun casino-styled gaming nights where your guests can use (and win) real money. A great opportunity to dress up and let loose while raising money.
IN A NUTSHELL
Fundraising Ideas: Casino styled games night with all the trimmings and real money gambling (‘funny’ money also available)
Suitable for: Parents and adults-only, medium to large groups of 50+
Profit: 100% of money raised on night (after minimum numbers attending have paid for tickets to cover event and licencing fees)
Due to each of the State’s having their own Gaming Laws, Western Australia is currently the only place where you can play for real money outside a casino. This is the difference between holding a casino night where guests play with fake money and compete for a plastic trophy, and an event where guests can genuinely take home a pocketful of cash if they are having a lucky night.
Run by Monte Carlo Functions, the Real Money Casino Fundraisers are an exciting way to raise money for your school, and the price of the event includes theming to transform your venue into the Great Gatsby, Bond, Gangsters and Molls or even a Vegas theme where you can get married by Elvis in a specially designed chapel*.
Casino styled games made simple
There are a number of tables available for your function – they are all similar to casino games but with a fun twist. They have simple rules and are easy to learn and play: watching one round is all you will need to become an expert.
All the tables are custom made and high quality. You can visit the show room in Jolimont to meet the team and see the games in action. Screens and scoreboards are provided to add to the mood and boost enthusiasm.
Even if you don’t know a thing about casinos or gambling, the team will assist you in finding the right games for your particular event and crowd.
Dress-ups for grown-ups
The team can run a glamorous casino event in almost type of venue: even outdoors if weather permits and there is access to power. Included in the cost of your package are bonuses such as a red carpet entry, giant playing cards and massive dice that light up, all adding to the atmosphere of the night.
For an extra charge you can also be provided with everything you need to transform your assembly area or sports club into a Vegas Casino, a Gatsby ballroom or a James Bond mansion.
Having a dedicated theme also makes it easy to encourage guests to dress up (and let’s face it, how often do parents get to dress up?). Black tie, frocks, 1920s gangster suits, violin cases, Elvis, Vegas show-girls and Bond girls: having a theme isn’t just clever planning – it’s fun.
How much does it cost (and how much can you make?)
A casino night with four different tables, running in a venue of your choice will cost around $2,399 and this includes casino-trained dealers for each table, permits, basic theme and decorations, a customised flyer for advertising, and EFTPOS facilities. The event will run from 8-11pm, although should you choose to extend the night, staff are able to stay on at a predetermined hourly rate.
To have the most successful fundraiser, it is recommended you pre-sell tickets to cover the event cost, then all money raised on the night is pure profit.
For example, if you sell 100 tickets at $25 a head, then 100% of money won by ‘the bank’ on the night is kept by the fundraiser. Casino nights can be run with as few as 30 people up to 400, with a range of packages available based on your particular crowd.
Traditionally, casinos have calculated they make around $30 per punter, although whether this is true for your fundraiser will obviously depend on a number of factors. Extra money can be raised by selling food and drink (you will need to organise a liquor licence) or arranging a raffle or silent auction.
At the beginning of the night guests purchase casino chips which they can use throughout the evening. If guests do not have cash, they can purchase chips using EFTPOS facilities which are provided as part of the package.
At the end of the evening, guests convert their winnings back into cash and whatever is in ‘the bank’ is presented to the fundraiser.
Licencing and laws
Although you can gamble using real money at one of these fundraising nights, it comes with certain conditions. You will require two permits for the event (gaming and venue licences) and the fundraiser must be for a community based non-profit organisation only (such as schools and sporting clubs) and not for commercial gain.
Monte Carlo Functions will assist with both permit applications and work with the fundraising group to ensure that the function is run in accordance with relevant community gaming legislation.
If you prefer, you can also use funny (fake) money during your fundraiser instead. Both options are offered and funny money can be printed with your school or business logo, photos or any other custom design.
Worth noting
The casino nights are great fun and a very social event, but they can also be very profitable if run well. There are plenty of options for raising extra money with finger food and drinks, and a happy, well-fed winner is likely to be generous at the bar or in purchasing raffle tickets or auction items.
Guests can spend as much or as little as they like at the gaming tables and as such it can be promoted as a sociable event with no pressure to constantly spend, spend, spend.
A popular way to conclude the evening is with an exciting human raffle, with a prize of a luxury week in Bali (flights not included). The raffle prize will be organised as part of your package and you must sell a minimum of 50 tickets at $20 each. Four winners are drawn who then compete in a dramatic game of horse race for the prize. Tickets sold in excess of the 50 are added to the profit on the evening, and the final game marks a clear and climactic end to the evening. For smaller groups, a raffle can be arranged with a cash prize instead.