Casino nights & events
Poker tournaments, themed evenings and private casino parties — all hosted in the room, all built around a proper dinner first. This is Dunedin's friendliest take on a casino night.
Four ways to play the room
Everything below runs in-venue at Blisslume — no screens, no online anything, just hosted tables and good food.
The Cumberland Cup
Our flagship poker tournament night. Three courses, forty seats, five levels of blinds and one gloriously oversized trophy that's been won by a librarian, a dentist and — twice — someone's mum. Season leaderboard points on the line.
Gatsby Casino Night
Dress code: roaring twenties. Charity chips, blackjack and roulette-for-fun tables run by our dealers, a jazz playlist that commits to the bit, and a midnight dessert parade. A portion of every ticket goes to a local charity chosen by the room.
Whisky & Cards
A slower, smaller evening: a guided tasting of three whiskies paired with an open social poker table. Twenty seats, candlelight, and the kind of conversation that only happens after the second dram.
Private casino parties
Birthdays, work functions, reunions, end-of-year dos — take over the back room with your own dealers, custom menus and a poker tournament format built around your group. We'll even print the trophy with your name on it.
Every event runs the Blisslume way
Whatever the theme, the bones stay the same — proper dinner, professional hosts, a room that feels like a club night rather than a casino floor.
Dinner is always first
Every ticketed event includes food — this is a restaurant, and the kitchen gets the opening act before any poker hand is dealt.
Hosted, not hawked
Real dealers and floor hosts run every table, explain every rule, and keep the energy friendly.
Prizes stay fun
Trophies, bar credit, leaderboard glory — stakes stay social so the night stays light.
Ends with nightcaps
The bar stays open after the last hand. Most events wind down with dessert and digestifs.
Nights people still talk about
"Entered the Cumberland Cup as a total beginner. Came second, ate brilliantly, and now my whole flat has opinions about blinds structure."
"We took thirty staff for a private casino night and it ran itself — dealers were brilliant, dinner was hot, nobody checked their phone once."
"Gatsby night was the most fun I've had in Dunedin in years. Dressed up, played cards, danced badly — 10/10."
18+ events, always
All casino-style events and poker nights at Blisslume are strictly for guests 18 and over. Photo ID may be checked at the door. The dining room welcomes under-18s until 8 pm, after which the whole venue is adults-only.
Play responsibly
Our games are social, capped and hosted — never online, never high-stakes. If play stops feeling like fun, talk to any host or check the free support at gamblinghelpline.co.nz.
Event questions, answered
Planning something bigger? Our events notes and packages live on the contact page — or ask about the weekly poker nights if a smaller game suits better.
Pick a night, bring your people
Tell us the event, the date and the headcount — the events team will take it from there.