Gambling is a popular pastime all over the world, with an industry that employs tens of thousands of people working around the clock to deliver premium entertainment options to casino enthusiasts worldwide.
Whether you enjoy casino table games at a real casino or you’re more into online slots, it’s worthwhile knowing that you could potentially convert your pastime into a job with great career prospects. Read more to learn about the most common careers in the casino industry and discover whether or not it’s the type of work environment you could thrive in.
Floor Staff
When it comes to important jobs at casinos, floor staff are indispensable to any casino operation. These dedicated individuals are the workhorses of the casino, aiming to keep guests happy and make sure that the casino floor always looks great. The job title applies to various roles, including custodians, bartenders, wait staff, gofers and any other position that involves hands-on work.
Floor staff casino employees often cycle through different roles on different nights. They’re always on the move, ready to assist guests by answering questions or showing them where they can find a game. They keep the floor and restrooms clean, too, ensuring that the health and well-being of patrons are always a chief priority.
Working at a casino as floor staff requires a can-do attitude where no job is too menial to complete. Stamina, self-discipline and a strong work ethic are essential for success. What’s more, you have to stay focused when dealing with some of the tougher tasks of the job. If you’ve got what it takes to work extended hours with smiles and a pep in your step, a floor staff position is a great way to begin a casino career.
Cashier
Casino cashiers are at the coalface of the casino business, bridging the gap between guests and their bankrolls. They’re responsible for managing money and helping guests who want to top up their bankroll or cash out their chips. Typically, the job involves sitting in a booth or cage, sorting out issues with checks, credit cards and wire transfers.
The reality of the position is that cashiers often have to deal with disgruntled customers, have fewer opportunities to earn tips and do fairly repetitive work. While this might not look like such a great prospect on the face of it, the positive side is that the job of a casino cashier is an excellent entry-level position to get into casino management.
Slot Attendant
Online slots may not require a slot attendant, but these casino slot game staff are firm favorites on the casino floor. It’s the attendant’s job to work with casino guests and management to keep things running smoothly and ensure a satisfying customer experience.
A slot attendant is allotted a specific set of casino slot games and video poker machines to work with. The job involves making sure the machines run properly and taking care of guests’ comfort and safety. Another aspect is paying out big wins by hand to slow players. Slot attendants also work with slot hosts to promote casino loyalty programs.
Thanks to minimal entry requirements and long shifts, this is a great way to gain exposure to casino guests and develop customer service skills. What’s more, if you’re successful as a slots casino worker, you’ve got a good shot at becoming a casino host, upping your salary and moving toward a position in management.
Casino Host
Casino hosts are predominantly focused on guest outreach and brand management. An important part of the job is keeping high-paying guests coming back to play casino table games. Casino hosts achieve this by setting up visits with them and by designing VIP and loyalty programs to cater to their specific needs. Of course, casino hosts work with all their other guests, too. Part of that is working the slow-playing crowd, especially in places with a prolific gambling culture.
Casino hosts have to know how to attract guests’ attention, perhaps with a promotions booth or by talking to guests about the benefits of their programs. They possess well-practiced social skills and protect brand integrity at all times. As far as jobs at casinos go, this can be one of the more stressful positions. After all, there’s a high degree of responsibility that comes with being the face of a brand.
Casino Manager
Casino managers are paid well, but they have a lot on their plate at any given moment. They have to manage multiple teams that perform specific scheduling, training and payroll tasks while also ensuring that all casino employees are performing their jobs optimally.
Casino managers need to know about HR responsibilities and general accounting, as well as their team members’ duties and tasks. It’s a balancing act because they must look after casino profits while keeping customers happy. Casino managers need accounting skills and some kind of diploma in marketing or human resources. Above all, casino managers need to know what’s going on with every job in the casino to ensure efficient operation.
Clearly, it’s a demanding role that requires sound leadership and conflict-resolution skills. The ability to pacify disgruntled guests, soothe unhappy investors and keep the peace among employees is paramount.
Hiring and firing is another key responsibility, which is never easy, considering the fact that livelihoods are at stake. The reward for all this stress is a six-figure salary, which does make it worth it if you’re adept at stress management and decision-making.
Pit Boss
Pit bosses are the friendly enforcers of the casino floor, protecting patrons as they play their favorite games. They’re responsible for watching over casino table games, supervising dealers, handling security and managing floor supervisors.
In their role as the sentries of the floor, these casino workers must keep an eagle eye out for cheating customers and potential dealer errors. They also have to enforce proper game procedures, processing payouts and paperwork while creating a fun atmosphere to keep customers happy. Pit bosses have a lot of authority, which compensates for the stress of doing so many things at once. It’s also one of the higher-paying jobs in the casino.
Casino Dealer or Croupier
The dealer’s job is arguably the most prized of all casino careers. Dealers get all the attention because they constantly engage face-to-face with guests at table games such as blackjack, poker, baccarat, craps and roulette.
It’s the dealer’s job to create a lively atmosphere while ensuring that guests are following the rules. If you’re a new player, they can even teach you the basics of how to play casino games. Sure, a busy dealer may not be able to teach you all the ins and outs of how to play poker in a casino, but if a table is empty, they can definitely help you get to grips with the game. This is why dealers have to be experts at the games they play. All of this can make being a dealer a tough call. Not everyone has the gaming expertise and people skills to run a table smoothly. On top of that, dealers tend to live on tips, so they often gamble on landing a table of high-rollers who tip well.
One especially good thing about being a dealer is that you can transition to online casino games. As more and more gamers play table games on a casino games app, online games with live dealers have skyrocketed in popularity.
Live Casino Manager
Live online casino gaming offers a clear career path from live dealer to manager. The work environment is a state-of-the-art live casino studio where camera-trained table game dealers and croupiers host the latest live dealer casino games and engage with players on a casino games app.
The live casino environment demands a high level of management skills. Operations managers oversee business planning, management, budget and staffing. Team managers lead teams of online casino dealers and card shufflers, ensuring they perform to expectations and follow their schedules. Floor supervisors cover the baseline by ensuring that all casino worker floor duties are taken care of. They also support the dealers and croupiers whenever questions arise.
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