How to Throw a Casino Night Fundraiser
Hosting a Casino Night is an excellent option for raising funds for your organization. Whether this is your first Casino Night
Fundraiser or you have had experience in planning one, it always helps to prepare ahead of time, so that you can concentrate on making money for your charity. Before you begin planning your Casino Night Fundraiser
, look over the following guide for some important tips to ensure that your event is a success:
Set your fundraising goals
Since your primary goal is to raise funds for your organization, setting a goal ahead of time gives you an idea of what you want to achieve, and how to work it into your budget. You want to ensure that your expenses don’t overshadow the end result, and having a goal ahead of time will help to determine your pricing structure.
Where will your revenue come from?
This is primarily determined by what you will be charging for at your event. You want to make sure that your prices are reasonable so that you can maximize your profits. Be sure that you are providing your guests a good value for their money, without going overboard on extravagant items. A Casino Night Fundraiser typically generates revenue from the following areas:
- Ticket sales – These can be sold in advance, as well as at the door
- Food – Having food at your Casino Night Fundraiser is a must. Decide whether you would like to charge for a more extravagant dinner, or simply a finger food “buffet.”
- Drink sales – Generally, a certain amount of drink tickets are provided for free, after which there is a cash bar. As a rule of thumb, the higher the ticket prices, the more free drink tickets provided.
- Auctions/Raffles – You can include an auction or raffle in addition to the casino table prizes. Try to get as much as possible donated in advance.
- Take Sponsors – This is an excellent way to cover the cost of your tables in the form of promotion. Sponsors can choose how they want to represent their table, whether it is in the form of extra chips or awarding promotional prizes at the table.
Determine your budget based on anticipated expenses
While you want to have the right atmosphere to give your guests a good evening to generate funds for your organization, you want to ensure that your expenses don’t cut too deep into your profits. Here is where the proper planning comes in: Once you have an idea of your fundraising goals, factor in how your expenses will affect those goals. The expenses involved in a typical Casino Night Fundraiser include:
- Event Facility Cost (Be sure to see if chairs and tables are included in the price)
- Casino Equipment Rental
- Food and Beverage Costs
- Decor
- Insurance (when applicable)
- Entertainment
- Any prizes
Remember, the more that you can get sponsored and/or donated, the lesser your expenses.
If you are in the process of planning a Casino Night fundraiser, or simply considering one, contact the professionals at Entertainment Unlimited. Our expert staff has helped many organizations across Pittsburgh and the Tri-State area plan successful fundraisers, and we would love the opportunity to help plan yours. Trust the experts at Casino Unlimited and let our decades of experience in the business work for you!
Liz Micenko
For over 20 years, Liz has been working in the entertainment industry. She has spent the past 12 as an office manager for Entertainment Unlimited of Pittsburgh and helping develop Casino Parties Pittsburgh. Her expertise has help people plan wonderful Casino Parties and fundraisers.
