Besides the rules of the actual game, certain unwritten rules of etiquette exist while playing craps and are expected to be followed. Many consider these guidelines as important as the actual rules themselves. New players should familiarize themselves with them before approaching a craps table.

Rules related to casino security

Players are not supposed to handle the dice with more than one hand (such as passing them from hand to hand before rolling) nor take the dice past the edge of the table. The only way to change hands when throwing dice, if permitted at all, is to set the dice on the table, let go, then take them with the other hand. This reduces or eliminates the possibility of the shooter switching dice by sleight-of-hand.

When throwing the dice, the player is expected to hit the farthest wall at the opposite end of the table. Some casinos refer to throws that do not hit the opposite wall as "Mellenberg Rolls."[citation needed] Some casinos will allow rolls that do not hit the opposite wall, while in others it is a "no roll" due to the more controllable nature of such a roll. The dice may not be slid across the table and must be tossed. Typically, players are asked not to throw the dice higher than the eye level of the dealers.

The dice cannot land in the boxman's bank or on any of the dealers' working stacks of money. Dice that land in the chip tray also constitutes a "no roll". If the die or dice leave the table, the boxperson will examine the dice before letting it come back into the game. However, the player may request the same die or dice.

When either of the dice land on chips or markers not in the boxman's bank or the dealers' working stacks, the number that would be on top if the object the die is leaning on were removed, is the number that is used to make the call.

If one or both dice hits a player or dealer and rolls back onto the table, the roll counts as long as the person being hit did not interfere with either of the dice, though some casinos will rule "no roll" for this situation.

In most cases the shooter may "set" the dice to a particular configuration, but if they do, they are often asked to be quick about it so as not to delay the game. Some casinos have "no setting" rules.

Do not try to place money in the dealer's hand or expect the dealers to hand you chips. Dealers are not allowed to touch the players. A player is expected to lay the cash down on the layout, which the dealer will take and then place chips in front of the player.

Many craps table layouts state "NO CALL BETS". This means a player is not allowed to call out a bet without having at least the right amount of chips on the table. If the chips exceed the bet, for example a $100 chip is placed and bets called out of "$25 on five and nine", the dealer will say "it's a bet" and return $50 change to the player. The dealer doesn't have to actually place the bet in the proper place on the table to constitute a valid bet. This method is consistent with the fast action of the game, allowing a player to make a last-second bet while the dice are about to be thrown. The NO CALL BET rule may exist to prevent confusion on the amount bet, possibly going back to the days of 25 cent tables. For example "three fifty" could mean $3.50 or $350. If the dealer is not clear about the intention of the player he may state "no bet" and push the chips back to the player.

Commonly observed etiquette

It is generally preferable to place chips on the board rather than tossing them. Tossed chips may roll on edge out of the dealer's reach and/or upset other stacks of chips. When chips must be tossed it is polite to gain the dealer or stickman's attention and toss as few chips as necessary to cover the bet (a $25 chip is preferable to a stack of five $5 chips).

When offered the dice to shoot, a player may pass the dice to the next player without fear of offending anyone; however, keep in mind that at least one player must always be a "shooter" betting on either the pass line or don't pass line for the game to continue.

When tipping, the most common way is simply to toss chips onto the table and say "For the house," "For the dealers," "For excellent service" or "For the boys" (the latter is considered acceptable even though dealers often are women). Another method is to place a bet next to your bet and call out "dealers." A "two-way" bet is one that is part for the player and part for the dealers. Usually, the dealers' bet is smaller than the player's bet, but it is appreciated. The part of the bet for the dealer is called a "toke" bet; this is from the $1 slot machine coins or tokens that are sometimes used to place bets for the dealers in a casino. Most casinos require the dealers to pick up their winning bets, including the original tip, rather than "let it ride" as the player may choose to do.

After the come-out roll, it is considered bad luck to say the word "seven". A common "nickname" for this number is "Big Red".

It is considered bad luck to change dice in the middle of a roll.

Center bets are made by tossing chips to the center of the table and calling out the intended bet; the stickman will then place the chips correctly for the player. As mentioned above, care should be taken when tossing chips. Players furthest from the stickman can often elect to place a center bet with a dealer who will relay the bet to the center.

It is considered rude to "late bet," or make wagers while the dice are no longer in the middle of the table. While entirely permissible, excessive late betting will generally garner a warning. At their discretion, dealers can disallow a bet made after the dice have left the center.

Food, drinks, and other items should remain off the chip rail.

Players feel it is bad luck for the shooter to leave the table after a successful come-out roll.

While it is mathematically a slightly better bet, "wrong bettors" (people who bet "don't pass") are considered to bring bad luck to the table.

When the shooter is ready to roll, players should remove their hands from the table area in order to avoid interfering with the dice. The stickman will often say "hands high, let 'em fly" or "dice are out, hands high".

When making bets in the field or on the Big 6 or Big 8, it is the player's responsibility to track his or her bet. Place bets and Come Line bets will be tracked by the dealer, who will pay you directly. Hardway and other proposition bets are tracked by the stickman and will be paid by the dealer to you directly based on instructions from the stickman.