So You Want to Work in a Casino?
A Quick Guide to Entry-level Gaming Industry Jobs
If you're thinking about pursuing a career in the gaming industry, this article will help you select the casino position that's right for your skills and interests.
Working in a casino requires non-stop energy, an extremely accommodating personality, and the ability to “overlook” a considerable portion of society’s underbelly. You’ll be on your feet for six to eight hours at a stretch, your shifts will probably span the graveyard hours, and many of your customers will treat you with about as much respect as they would a pinball machine. On first glance, it seems like casino gigs are a losing bet…so why pursue a career in the gaming industry?
Well, you’ll enjoy a vibrant workplace, meet a remarkable cross-section of people, and occasionally – very occasionally, mind you – share in the excitement of seeing someone win big money. Think working in a casino might be right for you? Here’s the good news: you don’t need any special training to score an entry-level casino job – just a clean criminal record and proof that you’re of legal gambling age in your area. But before you lay all your cards on the table and complete a job application, figure out which casino career matches your interests and abilities.
Floor Jobs
In a casino, the “floor” is essentially the entire gaming area: the slot machines, blackjack tables, roulette wheel tables, as well as the bar and restaurant facilities. If you like interacting with people – lots of people – then a floor job might be right for you. Floor workers range from bartenders to poker dealers to cigarette vendors to security officers. As representatives of the casino, they’re asked to ascribe to a very exacting set of personal appearance measures: no tattoos, no jewelry, no dark make-up, no loose hair, and so forth. If you can’t bear to part with your nose ring and punky blue hair dye, a floor job probably won’t suit your lifestyle. But if you have a flair for customer service and boundless amounts of energy, you can expect to make slightly over minimum wage plus tips, with frequent opportunities for promotions.
Cashier (“Cage”) Jobs
Got a knack for numbers? Love the feel of dollar bills fanning through your fingers? You may not get to keep much of the money, but you’ll get to count tons of it as a casino cashier, or “cage” worker. Basic accounting experience is ideal for this position, as you’ll not only be counting money, but creating detailed invoices involving large amounts of cash, chips, credit cards, coupons, and in-house vouchers. Organizational skills are a must. Salaries start at minimum wage, usually without tips, but increase with experience.
Managerial Jobs
One of the gaming industry’s biggest “perks” is the fact that employees with essentially zero work experience have the ability to rise through the ranks relatively quickly. High turnover rates – especially on cruise ship casinos – mean that employees who stick around for more than one or two seasons are likely to get promoted by sheer force of seniority. And as might be expected, upper-level managers receive upper-level paychecks: $75,000 - $100,000 per year at some of the bigger resort chains, according to Salary.com. But casino managers have to put up with a lot of misery: in addition to overseeing every aspect of the floor activity, they are responsible for handling angry customers. And if you’ve ever dealt with an angry restaurant customer who was dissatisfied with their meal, imagine that same customer after losing their life savings.
Still want to pursue a casino career? Check out the World Casino Directory for regularly updated job listings.
As they say in the gaming world, best of luck!
