The thought of working in a casino can be exciting and lucrative. However, deciding what job role and career progression you want can be difficult. Most casinos are like resorts, catering for everyone, meaning they employ different people with varying skill sets. But, before deciding which casino career is right for you, there are some minimum requirements for working in the gaming industry that you must meet.
The first thing to consider before applying, is your age, as you must be at least 18 years of age to meet the first requirement to work in a casino. However, it is important to bear in mind that most casinos will require all employees to be at least 18.
Next, you must have a secondary school education (GCSEs, diplomas, GED etc). For a non-specialised job role in a casino, you’ll only need to provide your educational background, however, certain positions will require special skills. For example, a dealer may be required to have training at a gambling/dealing school unlike a gaming manager, who would need a Bachelor’s degree in a financial/business-related field. Examples of other useful skills to have before applying are great customer service and money handling experience.
You’ll also need to pass a background check. Due to the large amounts of money being handled in casinos, there has to be strict employee rules and records. It’s important to note that casinos have a zero-tolerance policy on drug use and any past criminal behavior, so those with a criminal record might want to consider a career elsewhere.
Finally, you’ll need to obtain a gaming license, no matter your job role. Even those who don’t work on the casino floor must have a license.
Jobs Available
If you’ve passed the minimum requirements to work in a casino, it’s time to start considering which job role would be right for you.
Gambling Dealers
To become a gambling dealer, you must be knowledgeable about the rules of different games. The dealer’s job duties are as follows:
- Operating games
- Dispensing the correct number of cards or blocks
- Comparing the house’s hand against players’ hands
- Paying off or collecting money or chips from players
Dealers make up a large section of a casino’s employees. The annual salary for a dealer based in London can range between £21K and £29K (depending on experience).
Surveillance Officers
This particular job role tends to be featured in many casino-themed movies when someone is trying to cheat the house and the officers have to remove them from the casino.
Surveillance officers’ job duties include:
- Using video and audio equipment
- Monitoring the casino floor for suspicious activities
- Watching for cheating and theft
- Making sure the casino follows laws and regulations
Requirements for this position may include training and prior security experience. As keeping the casino safe is an important and necessary position, surveillance officers based in London earn around £44K – £48K.
Games Manager
A games manager oversees the casino’s daily operations on a larger scale.
Gaming manager job duties include:
- Formulating the casino’s gaming policies
- Circulating amongst gaming tables to ensure operations are conducted properly
- Ensuring dealers are following house rules
- Direct the distribution of complimentary hotel rooms, meals and other discounts for free items given to players based on their betting totals
The average salary for a gaming manager in London is £44K – £52K.
Slot Technicians
The first thing you should know about this job position before applying is that a background in electronic repair is necessary.
Slot technicians’ job duties include:
- Testing
- Repairing
- Maintaining the machines
This job can be stressful when having to repair a broken machine on a bustling casino floor, as unlike playing slots online if the website were to stop working, a web developer would be able to fix the problem from the comfort of an office.
As slot technicians have a specialised skill, they tend to earn anywhere between £25K – £30K.
Bartenders
There are plenty of opportunities in casinos for bartenders and casinos typically look for someone with previous bartending experience. This job can be stressful when dealing with large groups of people waiting for their drinks.
Bartending job duties include:
- Preparing cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages
- Having knowledge of popular drinks and making suggestions to customers
- Understanding the alcohol licensing laws
A typical casino bartender based in London earns around £11K – £20K.
Casinos are a great place to work, as they can provide you with stability, competitive wages, benefits, and extras. However, depending on your experience, you must be willing to start small and build on your knowledge through training and experience. Once you are established within a casino you have a strong chance to progress in your chosen career path because most companies promote from within… Good luck and we hope you find the job of your dreams!