Do you enjoy playing with cards and chips, or are you fascinated by the world of casinos?

If the thought of working nights doesn’t intimidate you, then a career in casinos could be a very rewarding one.

I’m a casino dealer myself and I do think it’s a pretty good job.

But did you know that there are many different casino roles you could choose from — not just dealing games?

In this article you will learn more about the twenty most common casino jobs as well as their roles and duties, and requirements.

If you don’t have time to read the whole article, feel free to skip to any job description by clicking on this list 👇

List of casino jobs

1. Casino dealer

Although there are casinos with slots only, an authentic, traditional casino will always have table games — they are the essence of gambling.

And guess what, there will always have to be a human being running those games.

Even in some kind of dystopian scenario in which technology takes over and robots are capable of spinning the roulette wheel, or dealing poker — honestly, would you ever play? It just wouldn’t be the same thing.

Plus, casino dealers have many other responsibilities.

You may think knowledge of the games and manual dexterity are the only skills they need, but think of:

  • Customer service and customer interaction
  • Spotting and reporting suspicious behavior
  • Dealing with bad losers and drunks
  • Communicating with supervisors and pit bosses
  • Making key decisions during a dispute
  • Explaining the games to beginner players

2. Poker dealer

Another casino job that’s simply irreplaceable, and that probably looks easier than it actually is, is the job of poker dealers.

Typically, casino dealers and poker dealers are two separate jobs and roles, but some dealers end up dealing both poker and traditional casino games such as roulette (I do).

Things like handing the chips, dealing the cards etc. basically require the same skills.

The main difference, then, would be the knowledge of poker rules (and there are a lot) and the ability to keep the game going at a fast pace.

This is especially important if some of the players take too long to act, or don’t know the rules, or get distracted too often.

A slow game is bad for the pros (or anyone who takes the game more seriously) and bad for the casino as well, as fewer hands mean less rake.

3. Inspector

In most casinos around the world, there will always be an inspector watching the games.

So for example, in one area of the pit there may be two roulette tables and one blackjack table, with a dealer for each; and the three games will be watched by one inspector.

Inspectors start their career as dealers and, if they’re good, they can level up within a few years. Especially in smaller casinos.

Although the pay difference isn’t usually spectacular, being an inspector comes with many responsibilities.

Naturally, inspectors need to know exactly what to do whenever:

  • A player or dealer makes a mistake
  • There is a dispute, and the dealer is not sure what to do
  • The dealer forgets a rule or sub-rule of the game
  • It is likely that a player is trying to count cards or cheat
  • Anything unusual happens at the table

4. Pit boss

As the name says, this is the person who is in charge of the pit.

Pit bosses decide which tables should open and which should close; when a dealer can take a break, and how long the break will be; when it’s time to bring a new set of chips to the table; and everything else, really.

In some casinos, there are no inspectors (the role mentioned above) and this means the pit boss will also be supposed to inspect the games from time to time.

In casinos where there are both inspectors and pit bosses, then the inspector’s authority and responsibilities will be limited.

So for example, if there is a particularly large transaction at the table, or a large payment, or a major dispute which involves a large amount, the pit boss will be called and their decision will be final.

Some senior dealers (or gaming inspectors) choose not to get promoted even when they are offered the job because they think their role as a pit boss would be too stressful.

But experience as a pit boss is essential if, eventually, you want to become a…

5. Casino manager

Duties and responsibilities of a casino manager vary from casino to casino.

Obviously, they are high up in the casino hierarchy and this means they will be in charge of all the most important aspects.

Examples of their roles and responsibilities include:

  • Banning a customer from the casino (or lifting a ban)
  • Authorizing an exceptionally large transaction or payout
  • Verifying a customer’s identity or proof of income
  • Welcoming regular customers
  • Introducing new staff to the casino and show them around
  • Dealing with employee lateness or absence
  • Assisting pit bosses and inspectors
  • Occasionally, replacing a pit boss who may not be able to work

6. General manager

And then there’s the highest position — the general manager of the casino.

You will rarely see them on the actual casino floor as they spend a lot of time in the office.

Essentially, the general manager’s role is to make sure all operations and procedures are as efficient as possible.

Moreover, they must ensure customers are happy and that (not surprisingly) the casino actually makes money.

Besides being paid a much higher salary compared to casino staff, general managers may also earn bonuses (yearly, or more often) based on the overall profit of the casino.

Responsibilities of a general casino manager may include dealing with gambling laws, such as laws about safe gambling and money laundering; hiring staff; making changes in terms of the casino appearance, opening times, and offers.

7. Slot host

This is the person who deals almost exclusively with slot players (who may actually be a large part of all the casino customers).

So despite being away from the table games, slot hosts have a pretty important job and contribute to the smooth running of the casino.

Here’s what a slot host may do during the shift:

  • Greet slot players
  • Assist slot players, especially new ones
  • Deal with slot errors and/or malfunctions
  • Inform a manager when a major jackpot is won
  • Inform slot players about offers and promotions
  • Assist other employees e.g. servers

Unlike a dealer or inspector role, job requirements aren’t usually very high.

However, customer service skills and a friendly personality are a must as slot hosts will interact with customers all the time.

8. Casino cashier

You’ve played blackjack for a few hours, and you’re breaking even.

You decide to try your luck at the roulette table, you put three chips on a corner, and it comes in.

You call it a night, and ask the croupier to cash out.

They give you a higher denomination chip, but no notes. That’s because it’s the cashier’s responsibility to give you actual money in exchange for chips.

And generally speaking, this is the main role of the casino cashier: exchange chips for cash, and vice versa.

Although there are no complex payouts to work out, nor flashy tricks to learn — casino cashiers do have a big responsibility.

Which is why their training could last weeks.

From cashout limits, to the way they’re supposed to count the notes, to what they announce, the procedures are very strict.

So yes, it may be an easier job compared to that of a dealer. But don’t assume it’s as easy as it looks.

9. Casino receptionist

This is another role with way more responsibilities than you think.

Besides being the first real impression of the casino, receptionists are supposed to perform thorough checks to ensure customers are allowed to visit and/or play.

Not only do they have to have great customer service skills, they also and most importantly need to learn a lot of not-so-intuitive procedures.

Duties and tasks of a casino receptionist may include:

  • Greeting visitors in a friendly but professional manner
  • Checking a customer’s age and ID
  • Depending on the situation, checking their address and/or job as well
  • Checking whether the customer is allowed to gamble
  • Calling a taxi for a customer
  • Reporting to casino managers
  • Answering phone calls (or emails) for enquiries or bookings
  • Letting the players know about a certain offer or promotion

10. Cleaner

You probably wouldn’t think of cleaning as the most essential role in any casino.

But while regular cleaning (or cleaners) are essential for almost all work environments, it is especially important in casinos just because any room/floor/table that isn’t immaculate would ruin the atmosphere.

Imagine walking in a prestigious casino and notice the floor is dirty.

Then, imagine buying in at the punto banco table and notice there’s hair and dirt on the felt. Yuck!

Sometimes the chips, felt, and wheels (roulette wheels) are cleaned by the dealer themselves, usually during the quietest shifts.

But even in this case, the casino has to hire cleaners to ensure the main floor, as well as all other areas of the casino, are spotless.

Again, not the typical casino job. But still an essential casino job.

11. Accountant~Coordinator

One of the pit bosses believes their last paycheck was not correct, and complains.

Four trainees will soon work their first shift, and need a brand new casino uniform.

Two dealers have changed their bank details, and that needs to be sorted before the next pay date.

Who’s supposed to take care of all this?

Definitely not a dealer. But not a manager, either!

Which is why the eleventh casino job in this list is that of an accountant or coordinator.

You won’t see them dealing blackjack — they’ll be in the office 99 percent of the time.

Ideally, they’ll have hands-on experience as dealers, too, but it may not be a requirement.

12. Security

What happens if some annoying drunk loses more than they can afford, and becomes aggressive?

Two big guys will kick them out of the building and make sure they never do that again.

Obviously, this would be the last resort.

In most cases, a manager will be able to deal with the situation until the player in question calms down and decides to leave the casino spontaneously.

This isn’t always the case though, and if a player is clearly causing trouble and refuses to leave the casino (usually because they’ve drunk way too much), then security will take care of that.

An aggressive personality paired with alcohol is often a dangerous combination, and if you add a painful loss of money to the equation, things can get dangerous.

But not to worry — the big guys won’t be afraid of them, and will make sure all other players are safe.

13. Server

As long as you’re playing, most casinos will give you free drinks.

And even if they don’t, you’ll probably want to sip a nice drink while playing, or at least drink some water.

Not that placing chips on the roulette layout, or pushing a button on the slots, is an intense workout, but still.

Another very common casino job is that of the server and he or she, too, will have to work different shifts, especially if the casino is 24/7.

Generally speaking, if you’re a server and work in a casino, that would probably be less stressful compared to a restaurant or bar.

And tips are usually pretty good — sometimes as good as, or even better than, those earned by the gaming dealers.

14. Bartender

No casino experience would be complete without a visit to the bar, right?

Casino bartenders won’t have to know the whole list of roulette payouts, but will have to excel at customer service and have the skills to prepare the best drinks.

Bartending is an art form, and any casino that’s serious about its image will have to hire someone who’s really good and professional.

Depending on the casino, the roles of the bartenders and those of the servers may be interchangeable.

15. Chef

Another position that’s not necessarily casino-related: the chef.

The casino experience isn’t limited to playing, and food itself can… play a big role.

Although most players will simply grab a snack if hungry, some customers will prefer to eat an actual dish, either while playing or at the restaurant.

Keep in mind, some regulars will visit the same casino every single day, for weeks or months in a row.

Some hardcore slot players will play for ten or twenty hours in a row, or more.

So if the casino doesn’t offer enough options in terms of food, the menu could get very repetitive.

An experienced chef will take care of that, and ensure the customers enjoy the food.

16. Casino instructor

Besides tips and job satisfaction, one of the pros of being a casino dealer is the job’s accessibility.

Meaning: it’s not that hard to get started, and you definitely don’t need any expensive education.

Although there are some private dealer training schools that you can join at any time, some casinos will basically pay you to learn and host their own training school.

The managers and pit bosses wouldn’t have time for that, though.

This is where the role of a casino instructor comes into play.

Typically, this will be a very experienced dealer (five years or more) and they will be in charge of the whole training course, and ensure the trainees learn all the procedures correctly.

As a casino dealer, I’ve met a few (they didn’t train me but I saw them teaching) and I can tell you, it can be a very rewarding, very unique job.

17. Entertainer

Singers, magicians, dancers, comedians, professional entertainers of any kind.

Management of a big enough casino may choose to attract new customers not just with gaming promotions, or a new poker tournament, or anything that’s related to gaming only — but with special events as well.

This could be every weekend or whenever it’s a special time of the year. Some examples:

  • New Year’s Eve
  • New Year’s Day
  • Christmas and December in general
  • Thanksgiving
  • Chinese Moon festival
  • Chinese New Year

Whereas dealers, inspectors, servers, etc. will almost always be employees — performers will usually be freelancers, and get hired by the casino occasionally.

18. Trainee casino dealer

I already mentioned some casinos have their own dealing school and instructor.

However, the term “trainee dealer” can refer to two roles:

  • Someone who’s enrolled in the casino training school, and gets paid to learn the job
  • A dealer who learned the basics at a private school and is ready to take their first job

In both cases, the trainee dealer will usually start dealing casino games that are easier and that don’t require very complex calculations.

They will then move on to other games, and potentially level up until they become experienced dealers, or even senior dealers.

19. Surveillance officer

These are the guys who spend a lot of time in front of the monitors to ensure all games are dealt and played the right way.

I’m not referring to play style, obviously — surveillance officers want to check nobody’s cheating, or trying to cheat.

In addition to that, officers will have a very good knowledge of gambling laws and regulations.

Believe it or not, inadvertently going against one of these laws, even if it doesn’t cause any actual harm or danger to the players, could cost a casino millions of dollars. Literally.

Essentially, the surveillance officer’s job is to ensure the casino is safe both in terms of who plays the games (e.g. card counters) and its adherence to gambling laws including obscure ones.

20. Poker player

The last job in this list is… yes, the poker player.

You may be surprised, but really, being a professional poker player is a job, and one where you spend a lot of time in casinos.

Poker legend Doyle Brunson cashed in over $6 million in poker tournaments alone, and chances are the poker pro sitting at your table is nowhere near that.

But as long as they play for a living, that’s a job, and again, a job where you spend your time in live casinos.

And even those who play online do so thanks to online casinos (or rooms).

You won’t find any “professional Texas Hold’em player” job ads, but guess what, it’s still a casino job — potentially the most profitable one, if you know what you’re doing.

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