Careers in the Gambling Industry

Some people think that the gambling industry workers earn peanuts and mostly depend on tips. However, this is far from the case because the gambling industry is growing every year and worth billions of dollars. The continued growth of this industry creates a demand for data analysts and people who understand technology.

What’s more, most people find the casino lifestyle exciting. And it’s not just the glamour and bright lights of these establishments. Whistles and bells are undoubtedly lovely. However, most work environments get dull sometimes. But casinos are different due to the excitement and smiles on the faces of winders, big jackpots, and crisp bills constantly exchanging hands.

Anybody that loves participating in the action or being where it is will undoubtedly love working in the gambling industry. Ideally, you’ll never have dull moments when working in the gambling industry.

Why Work in the Gambling Industry? 

Even for an entry-level employee, a job in the gambling industry can be lucrative. For instance, if a casino hires you as a croupier, punters will give decent tips if you have good communication skills and exhibit your dedication to serve them. Additionally, working in the gambling industry entails more than getting tips.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the current technological advancements have created new career opportunities in the gambling sector. Today, many people gamble online. That means the industry needs information technology experts. Technical individuals can leverage computer skills to assist operators in providing unique experiences to their customers.

Moreover, land-based casinos need professionals to handle complex security, auditing, and financial modeling issues. They also need professionals to manage various operations. In fact, the gambling industry continues to evolve, which means you won’t be losing your job in this sector anytime soon.

How to Start a Career in Gambling 

It’s no secret that offline and online gambling in the USA is on the rise. For this reason, many people want to start careers in this industry. But how do you venture into this sector?

Like with most jobs, experience matters, but it’s not always necessary. For example, some people have no horse racing experience or sportsbooks when venturing into the gambling industry, yet they become some of the best employees.

Qualities like respect, courtesy, common sense, and a positive attitude can help you start a career in this industry and eventually succeed. To venture into this sector, you can even apply for a job at a casino as a ticket writer. And this is an entry-level position that can help you venture into this industry as an employee. But this doesn’t mean you leave your current employment. Perhaps, you can start working at a casino part-time to see how it goes.

Equally important to know is that knowledge of casino games and sports betting doesn’t make you a more qualified candidate for any position in the gambling industry. While this basic knowledge can help, you should learn new things while venturing into this industry.

Hanging around gamblers and visiting online forums and industry news sites can teach more about the industry. Also, you can interact with like-minded people to easily find job vacancies in the gambling industry.

Growing Your Career in the Gambling Industry 

Once you’ve got an entry-level position at a casino, follow these steps to rise the ranks.

Join a Training Program 

As hinted, don’t assume that knowing casino games means you don’t need to learn anything. Instead, assess different forums, depending on your location and interest. For example, some casinos provide in-house training programs by partnering with community colleges. On the other hand, large casinos have training schools.

Regardless of your option, this training will provide essential knowledge of how casinos and the entire gambling industry operate. The program’s content can also address fundamentals like security and surveillance, casino marketing, floor management, customer service, and gaming regulations. Some training can also prepare you for positions like dealer, cashier, or slot attendant.

Get a Gaming License 

All workers in the gambling industry should obtain licenses from the casino regulatory agencies like the casino control board or casino control commission. To get this license, you must meet the age threshold set by your state or country. Also, you must provide your photo ID, pass some background checks, drug tests, and pay a fee. In some countries, only residents get licenses to work in the gambling sector.

Pursue a Bachelor’s Degree or an Associate’s Degree 

Most casinos require workers that want to become managers to acquire a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree. However, this is not a requirement in some casinos. But having this degree will equip you with casino knowledge and supplement your direct experience. A degree program will also adapt you to general management and business concepts. That way, you’ll be well-positioned to work in a casino environment as a manager and even explore gaming-specific subjects.

Some of the topics you can pursue in your bachelor’s degree or associate’s degree include internal casino interactions and organizations, human resource management, and casino accounting. You can also study public relations, economic and social impacts of the gaming industry on society, and beverage and food management. You can earn a bachelor’s degree in four years and an associate’s degree in two years.

Advance Your Career 

The ability and willingness to learn will influence your career advancement in the gambling industry. For instance, you can start as a slot attendant and then rise to the slot floor supervisor. After that, you can move to a dealer’s position for different table games, including blackjack, poker, roulette, baccarat, and craps. Eventually, you can rise to a managerial level. In some cases, workers aspiring to become managers advance from small casinos to popular and larger establishments.

Nevertheless, the gambling industry has many positions that most people can consider if interested in careers in this sector. The best approach is to check job boards and casino sites for new openings constantly. If you wish to work at a local casino, don’t shy away from visiting the establishment to find if you can get a vacancy.

Best-Paid Jobs in Gambling 

When looking for a career in the gambling industry, your goal is to end up with the highest-paying position. The gambling industry is broad, with different jobs to consider when venturing into this sector. For instance, if you want to work in a casino resort, you can find jobs that may include casino restaurant manager, hotel manager, casino security manager, and casino game manager. But to get high-paying positions, look for these positions.

Operations’ Director 

The operations director is among the highest-paying jobs in the gambling industry. This casino employee has many responsibilities in a gambling venue. These include organizing events like gambling tournaments, managing live dealers, and overseeing the overall operations to ensure that everything works according to plan.

The operations director also supervises different casino departments while creating business strategies for maximizing its profitability. What’s more, this employee analyzes market opportunities and develops plans for exploiting them.

Ideally, the operations director job is demanding due to the responsibilities that come with it. To apply for this position, you need a bachelor’s degree in economics and about ten years of experience in finance. Some people think this position has unachievable requirements. However, it makes sense, considering the responsibilities of a director of operations.

Shift Manager 

A shift manager also has many responsibilities. However, the center of their duties is primarily the gaming floor. Ideally, this employee supervises the workers on the gaming floor to ensure they provide top-notch service to clients. Additionally, they interact with clients while confirming that everybody complies with the casino policies.

To apply for a shift manager’s position, make sure that you have worked as a casino manager for at least three years. But not every casino requires you to be a bachelor’s degree holder to apply for this position. Nevertheless, holding a degree in hospitality or business will increase your chances of getting this job.

Casino Manager 

A casino manager oversees all activities in a gambling establishment during a shift. This employee coordinates all departments to maximize customer satisfaction. They also ensure that all operations go according to plan.

This employee also ensures that the gambling venue complies with all gambling regulations. Most casinos require the manager to maintain his visual presence thought. The primary responsibilities of a casino manager include:

• Ensuring that a casino meets its milestones within the approved budget.
• Enforcing actions to clients that try to cheat.
• Ensuring that every employee does their job correctly.

Web Developer 

A web developer creates a casino platform’s backbone. To get a job as a web developer in the gambling industry, you need a formal education in computer science. However, you can get the job if you have a good portfolio.

Working as a web developer requires in-depth knowledge and understanding of programming languages like PHP, Javascript, and designing databases using MySQL. The job of a casino web developer can be complex, especially when developing an in-house platform for managing customer relationships.

Some of the casino web developer’s tasks include documenting and testing web creation technology software, collaborative work with content creators and designers, writing codes for generating databases, web pages, and improving server capabilities. They also modify, write codes to add site features and debug them to enhance user experience.

Internal Auditor 

A casino’s internal auditor manages casino operations data while checking for fraud or compliance failures. Auditing tasks continue whenever a casino is open. Therefore, an internal auditor can work at night and over the weekend.

Becoming a casino’s internal auditor requires a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance. In addition, some operators require applicants to be certified public accountants or certified internal auditors. And you can only obtain these qualifications after passing an exam and presenting proof of past employment.

Game Designer

A casino’s game designer creates unique games using development platforms like Unreal Engine or Unity and programming languages. Making slot machines may not seem complex, but the process is quite challenging.

The game designer creates concepts that adhere to industry standards. They also challenge the current status by creating games with unique features. To become a casino game designer, you need programming and computer graphics skills.  And all these require college or university education, though you can self-learn them.

The role of a game designer includes creating and presenting concepts to stakeholders, developing high-quality graphics and user-friendly interfaces, and thinking about sound effects, game mechanics, and new features.

Security Manager 

This employee maintains security within a gambling venue. Their duties include supervising the security personnel and ensuring the safety of the gaming floor. They also protect the property of the casino.

A degree in business criminal justice will give you an advantage when applying for this job. Moreover, some operators require applicators to have vast experience in providing security in entertainment or business areas. Additionally, a permit or certificate can give you an upper hand, depending on the casino where you apply for this job. Some venues prefer applicants with a CPR certificate.

SEO Specialist 

The role of an SEO specialist is to develop search engine optimization strategies for a casino. Thus, they help the casino rank at the top of the search engine result pages when people search specific keywords. To prosper in the SEO industry, you must learn continuously because search algorithms keep changing and improving. Whenever Google rolls out new updates, an SEO specialist must implement relevant SEO changes.

The work of a casino SEO specialist entails implementing strategies with specific goals, analyzing SEO campaign results and creating reports, optimizing content, and running competitive analysis. This expert also develops a detailed content calendar for the casino. Ideally, an SEO specialist aims to establish the authority of a casino in the industry.

Dealer 

A dealer works on the floor of a casino, operating slots and table games. This worker sits or stands at the table where they dispense chips, cards, and other props to gamers. They also run gaming equipment. A dealer calculates winning hands in some games by comparing them with theirs. The dealer also collects player’s money, distributes winnings, and handles high-value chips and cash.

This position requires dealer school training. A casino can take you to a dealer school on its dime. Some vocational schools may also provide dealer training. To become a competent dealer, the school may require you to complete 6 weeks of training. Most casinos hold auditions when they have vacancies for new dealers. Appearance and style are some of the factors that influence the success of applicants.

Live Dealers vs. Dealers Who Work in Land Venues

If you want to work as a dealer in a casino, you might want to know the difference between a live dealer and a dealer that works in a land-based casino. A land venue or a land-based casino is a brick-and-mortar establishment where people go to gamble. And this establishment has live dealers. Similarly, an online casino has live dealers, too, though these professionals are different.

Understanding a Land-based Casino 

As hinted, a land-based venue is a brick-and-mortar venue where people play different casino games. For safe gameplay, relevant governing bodies regulate and license land-based gaming venues. If you search for these venues in your area, you will find them within a short distance if you live in a large city.

When you visit a land-based casino, you can play your favorite table games that involve live dealers. In addition, land venues offer entertainment, dining, and hotel stay to enhance the overall experience of their clients.

Online Live Dealers 

Online casinos offer games with live dealers too. That means you can access a casino with live dealers via your mobile device or computer. Players use the internet to access live dealer games in real-time. That means the casino operator has a land-based casino to stream the gameplay footage to their website. They can also use a gaming studio from where they can stream the gameplay footage. Players decide how to play on the go or from home and watch the gameplay in real-time.

Online live dealer casinos provide an alternative to land-based venues because they allow players to experience the same excitement rush without leaving their locations. Ideally, you interact with a live dealer online, and the game plays on a gaming table like the one you get in a land-based casino. That means you don’t dress up and leave home to visit a local establishment.

Advantages of Working in the Gambling Industry 

Everybody wants to have an enjoyable career. That’s because job satisfaction is the first thing most people look for when searching for new jobs. If unsure whether working in the gambling industry has many advantages, here’s why many people are looking for employment in this sector.

• Personal interactions: If you love spending your time around other people, the gambling industry is a perfect place for you to work. That’s because you’ll never be alone on the casino floor. Instead, you’ll always be socializing with other employees and players.
• Active lifestyle: Most jobs in the gambling sector require employees to be on their feet and move around constantly. That way, you can avoid the risk of a sedentary lifestyle and enjoy a well-lit, clean, and ventilated environment.
• Fun: Nothing sounds more fun than working in a lively casino with happy people and unending excitement. For instance, players’ enthusiasm pushes the dealer’s energy up when working as a dealer in a high-roller casino game. Even working in a casino as a waitress where everybody is having fun is quite exciting. Essentially, humans are happy to hang around excited people.
• Tips: Working as a dealer in a casino means you stand a chance to earn a good amount of money from bonuses. If you treat your players well and befriend them, they will most likely give you decent tips whenever they win. A high roller can tip a dealer $1,000 or even more after winning a jackpot or a big hand on a table game. Most dealers make more money from tips than salaries. Even those serving cocktails and other drinks on the casino floors get bonuses. And because casinos have crowds most of the time, you don’t have to depend on busy nights to get tips.
• Growth opportunities: The gambling industry is growing, with more casinos emerging. That means working in this sector exposes you to more growth opportunities. What’s more, working in this sector equips you with skills that you can use to apply for jobs in other entertainment fields.

• Flexibility: Some establishments in the gambling industry operate 24 hours. That means you can work flexible shifts that suit your preferences and schedule. For example, if you love working at night, you can choose nightshifts. Likewise, parents can work around childcare or school hours.
• Low entry barriers: You can venture into the gambling industry with a GED or high school diploma and rise the ladder. Training in this field is minimal, and you can complete it within weeks. Thus, you’ll be up and running within a short time after venturing into this industry.

The gambling industry is a lucrative field to work in since it’s a multi-billion sector. Both land-based and online casinos reward workers handsomely. Some of these establishments pay their workers hourly wage that’s way above what employees in other sectors get. In addition, working in this industry has other benefits like getting paid leaves, travel packages, and holidays. Some casinos even provide relocation packages and medical covers for employees that accept to work in different countries.

Final Thoughts

The gambling industry has many careers that people can explore as long as they have the right personalities, skills, and experience. What’s more, jobs in this sector have low entry barriers, and you can start at the entry-level position and climb up the ladder. Once you enter this industry, you get exposure to endless possibilities, provided you’re ready to obtain the required qualifications and work hard. Additionally, some jobs in this sector pay better than what average workers get in other professions. So, if looking for a career in the gambling industry, consider your preferences and skills. Also, check different job boards and casino websites to find openings for which to apply.