According to available stats, 623,199 people are employed by almost one thousand casino hotels in the US. One of the tell-tale signs that this industry is dramatically growing is that the average business in this sector now employs more people than it did five years ago, and on average, the number of jobs in this sphere has grown by 8% from 2018 to 2023.
Of course, when someone thinks of working in a casino hotel, the first position that comes to mind is that of a dealer. The number of vacancies in this staff selection of venues is less vast than one would think, as even higher-end Las Vegas establishments rarely have two to three dozen gaming tables. That is so because, on account of their higher costs to run, they accept higher minimum bets, attracting only experienced players and those with deep pockets.
Still, there are enough jobs to go around in this field. With the dramatic rise of the much-loved live casino providers, opportunities previously unavailable are continuously opening up in this industry. There has been an increase in couch gamblers since the Pandemic, with easy-to-play live dealer platforms.
The reasons many opt to get into this domain are: it provides work in a dynamic environment, transferable job training, has minimal education requirements, and offers high levels of social interaction. Plus, the sector expects an average growth of 2% to 10% over the next several years, meaning a decent employability outlook. Below are several indispensable nuggets of vital gambling sector info for those looking to explore casino dealer options.
What Is the Process of Attaining a License
In general, casino dealer licenses are issued by a state’s/country’s regulatory gaming agency, meaning its casino commission or gambling control board. That is why it is best for individuals interested in attaining one to first hop over to the official websites of these entities and read about their specific licensing requirements. Note that each organization likely will have a distinct set of approval criteria, so the rules binding the procedure of obtaining a license in one region will probably differ from a neighboring territory. In some, employers and boards/commissions require that casino dealers have no criminal history (often in the past five years) and pass regular drug tests that ensure that their mental and moral capacities are on par with the position’s needs.
As a rule of thumb, individuals must fill out and submit a dealer application and pay the accompanying fees to the applying body. They must also usually attach their state-issued driver’s license and a copy of their birth certificate, disclose their social security number, agree to a fingerprint scan, and participate in a formal interview. Traditionally, following the completion of said steps, a person will be issued a temporary dealer’s license. Remember that a venue cannot allow anyone to operate one of its tables without it. After the entire licensing process goes through, with the accompanying background investigation, a laminated official dealer identity card will be delivered to the successful applicant. Know that a casino dealer application can get rejected on numerous grounds. Control boards/commissions share a database of dealers with shady pasts. And if an applicant’s name is on this list, that person will probably struggle to get licensed anywhere in his country.
If a dealer with a valid license in one US state moves to another, he must get a new one from that region’s regulator.
Where to Get Educated?
In the US, the list of schools providing gaming employment education is relatively small. One must have a high school diploma or GED and be above the legal gambling age to apply for these programs. Their cost falls in the $2,000 to $3,000 range for extensive training run by veteran casino professionals. Famous US casino schools include the Crescent School of Gaming and Bartending, the Casino Education Group, and PCI (Personalized Casino Instruction).
The Ace Academy supplies the best UK gambling dealer programs in Reading, Berkshire, Blackpool, and Fylde College in Lancashire. Casino College in Normandy, France, is another premium choice for Europeans, as is the Casino Staff Training Centre in Belgrade, Serbia.
Online options are a feasible alternative for getting some top-end dealer tips. The best picks from this category are the Jack Black Casino Dealer School and the Vegas Gaming Academy. They offer sub-$1,000 training tutorial bundles.
Are the Rules for Live Casino Dealers Different?
To work for a live casino provider, one first must live in a country where these companies have studios. The list of options is small, as top-tier industry entities like Evolution, Playtech, and Pragmatic Play Live seldom have facilities in super economically-developed territories. They prefer to operate from nations like Bulgaria, Latvia, Romania, and Malta. They also supply their training, with their dealers rarely requiring a license, as the regulators of the mentioned countries rarely mandate this.
Playtech has two US studios, and their table staff needs a license, with these online casino dealers making between $18 to $23 an hour in Michigan and New Jersey.