Why We Love It
-
$26,380Potential Avg. Salary
-
1.5%Job Growth Rate
-
Growing DemandJob Outlook
-
Dependable Daily WorkloadCareer Attribute
Casino employees work in large and small casinos all over the country, providing hospitality and gaming services to casino patrons. Casinos hire employees to work in a variety of positions, including cage cashier, security guard, table games dealer, cocktail waitress, and bartender, among many others.
Recommended Schools
What is a Casino Employee?
The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in casino employee roles:
- Serve drinks, provide payouts, deal card games, and perform other tasks to ensure casino patrons have an enjoyable experience
- Handle large amounts of money, and manage cash drawers and registers
- Answer customer questions and provide help, instructions, guidance, and directions
- Watch for behaviors that present a security risk to the casino, its employees, and its patrons
- Teach slot machine and table game patrons how to play the games they’re interested in
A Day in the Life
Casino employees work in large and small casinos throughout the U.S. They fill a variety of roles, and each role has different responsibilities. Some of the most common jobs you can find at casinos include table game dealers, cocktail waitresses, bartenders, customer service representatives, security guards, cage cashiers, and slot supervisors, among many others. While each of these roles has very different responsibilities, each seeks to keep customers safe and happy while spending time at the casino.
Casino employees commonly handle large amounts of money, so another important role is ensuring casino funds are safe. Security guards may be responsible for transporting safes from cashiers to table games or to an armored vehicle. Cocktail waitresses and bartenders maintain registers, accept payments, and provide change. Table games dealers trade cash for chips and provide payouts for winning hands. Each role has responsibilities to keep track of their money and make sure it is safe.
Another responsibility of casino employees is ensuring the safety of patrons. Often drinking and losing money causes emotions to run high, and casino employees are the first line of defense in keeping customers safe, cutting them off from additional alcoholic beverages when they’re had too much, and recommending gambling addition services when required. While security guards often handle unruly or upset patrons, all casino employees are responsible for pointing out potential issues before they occur.
Typical Work Schedule
Most casino employees work full-time schedules, but their working hours can be irregular. In some areas, casinos are open 24-hours a day, so employees may be required to work first, second, or third shifts. Additionally, weekend and holiday work is commonly required, and since casinos are most popular during the evening and on weekends, most employees work these shifts more often than others.
Casino Employee Specializations
Casino employees hold dozens of roles at casinos. While the list below is by no means exhaustive, it highlights some of the different types of roles that are commonly available at casinos.
- Bartenders and cocktail waitresses serve drinks to patrons of the casino, either from behind the bar or on the floor at slot machines and table games.
- Security guards ensure the safety of casino property and assets, patrons, and customers by observing behaviors, preventing dangerous situations, and escorting unruly patrons off of the property.
- Table games dealers orchestrate table games like blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, and baccarat. They deal cards, determine winners, and deliver payouts.
- Slot supervisors repair broken or malfunctioning machines and deliver large payouts that require tax documentation to winning patrons.
- Pit bosses oversee dealers for a section of table games and provide a second set of eyes on both patrons and dealers to ensure rules are being followed and money is correctly handled.
- Casino managers oversee employees and tasks within specific departments of casinos and are responsible for hiring and training new casino employees.
- Cage cashiers turn slot receipts and chips into cash, cash patron checks, and count employee register funds at the end of shifts.
Typical Employers
Casino employees are employed by casinos—both large and small—throughout the U.S. The largest employers of casino employees include some of the biggest casino chains in the country, including Hard Rock, Caesars, MGM, Wynn, and Horseshoe, among others.
Recommended Schools
How To Become a Casino Employee
The steps you’ll need to take to become a casino employee depend largely on the type of role you want to work in. Most roles are available with only a high school diploma, though a bachelor’s degree may be preferred for manager roles. Some roles—like table games dealer—require specialized training that can occur on the job or through a vocational or trade school. Others—like slot supervisor, cashier, or bartender—require previous experience handling money or making/serving drinks.
However, some roles in casinos require no prior experience and allow you to get your foot in the door and begin working toward the role you ultimately want to work in. You may be able to find work as a retail clerk, valet, hostess, or housekeeper at a casino with no previous experience. After you’ve proven that you’re a reliable and dedicated employee, you may have the opportunity to move into more prestigious—and higher paying—roles within the casino. Usually, the casino will train employees to move into other roles when promoting from within, so you can get paid to train on the job.
Because large sums of money pass through casinos, most casinos screen new employees thoroughly before they’re hired. Passing drug tests, background checks, and psychological exams are common prerequisites for working at a casino. If you are unable to pass these tests, you will likely not be hired. Additionally, if you have a criminal history that includes any type of theft, it is unlikely that you’ll be able to find work in a casino simply because your role would likely include handling money in some form.
Casino Employee Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
$19,360Average
$26,380High Range
$37,780National Hourly Wage
Low Range
$9/hrAverage
$13/hrHigh Range
$18/hrHow do Casino Employee salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Casino Employee's can make an average annual salary of $26,380, or $13 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $19,360 or $9 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
#753 Nationally for All Careers
Programs and Degrees
Here are the most common degrees for becoming a Casino Employee. a is usually recommended and specifically a degree or coursework that prepares you for the particular field, see below.
Highest Education Among Casino Employees
- 0.2% Doctorate
- 1.3% Masters
- 12.6% Bachelors
- 9.9% Associates
- 32.6% College
- 32.5% High School
- 10.8% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
13,2002024 Est. Jobs
13,400Job Growth Rate
1.5%Est. New Jobs
200How does Casino Employee job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 200 jobs for a total of 13,400 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 1.5% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
#566 Nationally for All Careers
What Companies Employ The Most Casino Employees
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gambling industries (except casino hotels) | 3,100 | 200 | 0% |
| Casino hotels | 3,100 | -300 | 0% |
| Self-employed workers | 700 | --- | --- |
