Casinos have always been a popular place for gambling and entertainment. They have come a long way from the days when they were small buildings and are now a part of huge resorts. Some have venues inside that have big concerts inside. Some even have banquet halls for events like weddings or work functions. These are big businesses that are popping up more and more.

Since casinos are so big, this gives a lot of opportunities for the communities that surround them for employment opportunities. The services within them are so vast; there are so many opportunities for all kinds of people with a variety of skills and strengths. If you have previous experience in hotels, you can work front desk for the resort. There are positions for security, dealers, waitresses and so many other positions.

In addition to a wide variety of positions available in this type of industry, there are flexible hours found here. This can make it an ideal option as a second job or for college students who are looking for employment but need to work around a class schedule. This can be a good option in some positions if you are a first time job seeker looking to gain valuable work experience.

Job Opportunities

Here are some employment opportunities that you can find in casinos:

Casino Dealer: A dealer at a table is the only staff that works at the tables where people are placing bets. They must trade cash for chips and accept the bets from the customer. They have to double check all bets to ensure people have placed the proper amounts down. They shuffle the card decks and deal the cards at the beginning of the game. They watch the betting during the game and hand out cards as necessary. They supervise the table to ensure no one is cheating or counting cards and will let a pit boss know if something is not right at their table. A dealer must have a technical knowledge of the game that is at the table they are dealing at. They should also be very personable, as they spend their entire shift with other people. The dealer must need to be able to count money and chips quickly and correctly and be able the hand out cards in a similar fashion. A dealer can be very lucrative, especially if you deal at poker tables as they can often have high rollers that tip very well. A dealer will only make around minimum wage for their state, but can receive tips. There is no level of education required for this position.

Concierge Host: They often have their own desk in the hotel part of the casino, separate from the front desk where you check in. The concierge host will answer any questions for the guest about all the services offered in the casino and hotel. They should have menus for any restaurant associated with the facility and can often answer questions about the surrounding neighborhoods for people who are from out of town. They should have an excellent knowledge of the facility and the services they offer to really help answer questions for their patrons. The concierge host might often need to gain tickets to events for guests or schedule appointment at any amenity like a spa. They should have knowledge of the games and tournaments that are ongoing at the casino. There is no education level required for this position. A concierge host can earn around $10 per hour.

Pit Boss: The pit boss overseas the floor and does any paperwork that is associated with that. That may include player rating sheet, inventory sheet, chip fill and credit slips, and any other paperwork as required by federal regulations. They need to handle any dispute that might occur at a table, whether it is that the dealer mishandled cards or card counting. They do surveillance over the area and ensure the safety of their dealers. They schedule dealers and tables they will be working at. They will handle their dealer’s vacation and sick time schedules, as well as training their dealers. They must fill out daily report sheets for other supervisors. Pit bosses generally have worked their way up from entry level dealer positions to earn this job. They can earn around $20 per hour, as well as sometimes receiving a cut from the dealers.

Gaming Surveillance Officer: This type of position in security mostly requires a person to sit and monitor the cameras to look for cheaters or someone trying to steal from the casino. They will acquire and compile video and audio files to help with investigations if necessary. They will also sometimes walk around the floor to help monitor activities and make sure everything is running as it should be. They will have to write reports of any suspicious activity for the casino managers so there is a written record of this activity. They might also be in an observation room with a one-way mirror to watch the activities going on at the casino. You will need at least a high school diploma or equivalent to work in this field.  There are certifications that may be required for someone interested in this position to obtain before gaining employment. It is preferred that you are in good physical shape, in case the need to chase after a suspect is required. There is on the job training required to learn how to use the security equipment. A gaming surveillance officer can earn around $31,000 a year.

Job Outlook

The job growth for this industry is expected to be around 13%. This is faster than the national average of 11% across other industries. The reason for this growth is because as states are starting to struggle financially, they are creating casinos to help earn extra revenue into their state. This could also be as a result of people gaining second jobs here, since most casinos operate 24 hours.