To become a casino dealer in the UK, you can either join a private casino dealer school or get hired by a casino as a trainee dealer. You will need to be at least 18 and obtain a Personal Functional Licence, which will usually be paid by the school or casino.
Typically, casino dealers in the UK are required to deal and know the rules of three games:
- European roulette (single zero)
- Blackjack (UK version)
- Three card poker
Some casinos in the UK do offer punto banco as well, but new dealers are not expected to know the rules as not many people play the game in the UK.
When it comes to blackjack and three card poker, the rules and skills required aren’t that difficult.
Roulette, on the other hand, takes a while to learn, and a very long time to master.
Casino dealer schools (both private and in-house) usually last for at least a month.
And as for the Personal Functional Licence, which is a legal requirement, it could take up to eight weeks before you get it.
So considering the time it takes to learn dealing and obtain the PFL, expect to wait a minimum of month and a half before you can deal at the live tables.
Casino dealer requirements
Alright, first of all, why do you want to become a dealer?
Have you heard that dealers can earn a good income, or that it’s relatively easy to get started as a beginner?
If that’s the only reason, do think over it. Although not a technical requirement, as a casino dealer you must love, or at least like, your job.
Dealing is a unique career and this means it’s a love it or hate it thing.
If you believe the disadvantages are more than the advantages, then what’s the point? And yes, I’ve met dealers who quit after a few weeks precisely because of that.
Now, if you do think you’ll like the job, here are the main requirements. A casino dealer must…
- Be available to work nights and different shifts. And forget about getting weekends or public holidays off, although virtually all casinos shut on Christmas day in the UK.
- Focus for long periods of time. And have basic maths skills. If you’re dealing roulette late at night and you need to calculate complex payouts, you must be able to focus. Even if you’re tired, even if the players are staring at you.
- Have customer service skills. You’ll deal games, but deal to people and with people as well. You don’t have to be friendly and outgoing all the time, but you must interact with the customers and make sure they have a great experience.
- Have good knowledge of English. That is, if English is not your first language. You don’t need to be proficient but you must be able to communicate clearly with both the players and your supervisors.
Casino dealer training (UK)
As of January 2022, here are some private casino dealer training schools in the UK.
This list is not complete and I am in no way suggesting that these are better than others. It’s simply a list based on what I could find online, and I hope you find it useful.
- Ace Academy (London, EC1V 7ET)
- Manchester Casino Academy (Manchester, M1 2AP)
- National Gaming Academy (Blackpool, FY1 4ES)
- Blue Chip Academy (Manchester, M1 6DN)
- Tribeca College (Manchester, M2 3AG)
- Elite Casino Academy (Wolverhampton, WV1 1HT)
Best way to become a casino dealer in the UK
Some private training schools are excellent, and they’re more than just a school — not only will you learn to deal the games, you’ll also meet like-minded people and make friends, and have a really good time.
Plus, some private schools guarantee a casino job interview at the end of the course. Not bad, right?
But as a dealer, I believe the best way to become a casino dealer (in the UK, or anywhere else, really) would be to get trained in-house by a casino instructor.
Not always the best way. But it’s your best bet.
Especially considering you’ll get paid to learn (rather than paying the course fee) and you’ll automatically learn all the procedures of the casino you’ll work at.
Most casinos struggle with staff turnover, and the issue seems to be even more common in the UK.
This means casinos need staff and are willing to invest resources in training courses.
Some even have training schools every year, around August or September, so the trainees can begin dealing by Christmas.
Pros and cons of being a casino dealer
For the complete list of 14 advantages and disadvantages, please visit this page.
In short: dealing can be a very exciting career, potentially a lucrative one. You get to know some pretty interesting people, and you can basically travel and work whenever you want, including cruise ships.
And if you love cards, poker, and casino games in general, most of the time it won’t even be a job.
As for the cons, do expect to have unhealthy sleep patterns as well as a not so glamorous social life. Also, although most customers are nice, bad losers can be annoying or even aggressive at times, and that translates to stress.
Pros of being a casino dealer
- Above average income if the tips are good
- No need to wake up early in the morning
- Easy to advance, especially in smaller casinos
- Can work wherever you want
- No degree or expensive education needed
- Different than any other job
- Customers are usually nice
- Good job security compared to most careers
Cons of being a casino dealer
- Can be hard to have a social life
- Bad losers can be aggressive/abusive
- Very stressful at times
- Income depends on tips, which are not guaranteed
- High staff turnover
How to become a dealer (UK): final thoughts
The only real requirements for aspiring casino dealers are basic maths skills, good communication skills, and availability to work nights and weekends. Customer service is also important.
You will need to either get hired by a casino as a trainee dealer (in which case you’ll be paid to learn), or join a private casino school (where you’ll need to pay the course fee, which is usually worth it anyway).
If you have visible tattoos, or a hairstyle that does not look professional, you may not be hired as a dealer, although casinos have become more flexible in recent years.
Dealing can be a relatively well paid job, mainly because of the tips, and you don’t need any formal education to get started.
If you think you’ll like the job, go for it! I’ve been dealing for many years and I can tell you, although it’s not stress-free, it is a very rewarding career, and definitely a very unique one.
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