Just prior to a New Jersey casino opening to the public, it has been required by law to conduct a “Fun Night” but more recently such as with the Borgata opening, the Fun Nite was by invitation only and live gaming was permitted. The purpose of a Fun Night is for New Jersey gaming officials to make a judgment, under actual gaming conditions, whether a new casino is up to speed with respect to new dealer and supervisory training. Also under review are employees and supervisors understanding of the rules, decorum, knowledge of operations of every aspect associated with running a casino before allowing the casino to open to the public with “live” gaming. This dry run is called “Fun Night” in which the public is usually invited to participate, generally through announcements in local newspapers and radio/tv broadcasts.

The public purchases paper fun money at non-gaming tables just outside the casino floor, at a rate of five cents on the dollar. Five U.S. dollars will get a player $100 in paper Fun Nite money. $25 will get $500 in play money; $100 will get you $2000. You may mix or match Fun Nite paper money in any denominations you desire of $1, $5, $10, $20, $100 denominations. All proceeds from the sale of Fun Money usually goes to a noteworthy charity; such as The United Way, American Red Cross, Seaside House for Children, etc.

After purchasing the paper fun money, the player is admitted inside, onto the casino floor, and may exchange the paper Fun Nite money at the gaming tables for Fun Nite chips … just like you would do normally at a casino. The Fun Nite chips are used for all wagers (no real money is allowed to be used) and all winning bets are paid off in with more Fun Nite chips. Loosing bets are collected and re-racked at the tables, just like under real betting conditions. However, the Fun Nite chips and/or Fun Nite paper money are not redeemable for cash. In fact, they are redeemable for nothing!! Of course while you are playing, the cocktail waitresses are taking your complimentary drink orders and everything else is going on as if it were the real thing. Slot play however is for real, with live coin and tokens and real money payouts.

After about six hours or so of fun nite play action, players are advised about a half hour before “closing time” that the Fun Nite is over and that they should begin finishing up their play. This is where the players get crazy with their chips and begin betting huge amounts just to get rid of them … as they have no cash value. Roulette, craps, blackjack, baccarat tables all now have high piles of fun nite chips wagered on the last few hands ... while collectors are stuffing them in their pockets.

After everyone on the public side of the house has left the premises, and the caino is shut down; gaming officials gather in conference rooms with gaming executives to “review their scores”. In the event that there were serious deficiencies in the marks, and if gaming officials feel that the property is not quite ready to open for live gaming, another Fun Nite will be ordered and another “dry run” will be held the next day or two, after the deficiencies are corrected. The same process continues until Gaming is satisfied that everything is up to speed.

As for the actual chips and paper money that was used during these test Fun Nites; some casinos went all out and had their individual casino names printed on their play money and chips. Other properties have used generic Fun Nite chips and paper money with no identification at all on them. I’ve attempted to illustrate everything I personally know of that was used during these truly “Fun Nites” in Atlantic City. Of course no reference work in this collectible field will ever be complete, as new material will turn up the day after this publication is printed. I would be happy to hear from anyone who has additional Fun Nite material that he/she feels should be listed in future updates of this catalog.