Gaming dealer

Gaming dealers operate table games. They stand behind the game table and operate games of chance by dispensing the appropriate number of cards to players, or operating other gaming equipment. They also distribute winnings, or collect players’ money or chips.

The duties of a gaming dealer include, but are not limited to:

• Overseeing all gaming functions for the assigned table.
• Receiving and managing casino chips.
• Shuffling cards by hand or via the automated shuffle machine.
• Greeting customers and distributing cash chips.
• Announcing the start of the round and taking bets.
• Announcing the closing of the betting round.
• Distributing player cards.
• Playing house hands, spinning the roulette wheel, and throwing the dice.
• Determining winners and distributing winning chips.
• Preventing cheating at the table and reporting irresponsible behavior.

The following job titles also refer to gaming dealer:

game operator
gaming operator
table gaming dealer
casino dealer
casino gaming dealer
gaming operations dealer
game dealer
dealer
croupier

Gaming dealers spend most of their shift standing or sitting behind a table. Although managers and supervisors may spend limited time working in an office, they frequently monitor activities by circulating among areas on the floor of the establishment.

Casinos in some states are exempt from laws prohibiting smoking indoors. The atmosphere in these facilities may expose gaming dealers to hazards such as secondhand smoke from cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.

Noise from slot machines, gambling tables, and loud customers may be distracting, although workers may wear protective headgear in areas where machinery is used to count money.

Most casinos are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Employees are often scheduled to work nights, weekends, and holidays, which are typically the busiest times for casinos. Most work full time, although part-time work is common.

Gaming dealers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Those who pursue a degree may choose to study casino management, hotel management, or hospitality, in addition to taking courses in business.

Individual casinos or other gambling establishments have their own training requirements. New gaming dealers may be sent to gambling school for a few weeks to learn a table game, such as blackjack or craps. These schools teach the game’s rules and procedures, as well as state and local laws and regulations related to it.

Although gambling school is primarily for new employees, some experienced dealers go to gambling school if they want to be trained in a new game.

Gaming dealers must be licensed by a national or state regulatory agency. Licensing requirements for supervisory or managerial positions may differ from those for gambling dealers, gambling and sports book writers and runners, and all other gambling workers. However, all candidates for a license must provide photo identification and pay a fee. Typically, they also must pass an extensive background check and drug test. Failure to pass the background check may prevent candidates from getting a job or a gambling license.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Gaming dealer is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to gaming dealer.

casino cashier
lottery cashier
casino pit boss
odds compiler
casino gaming manager

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of gaming dealer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of gaming dealer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

gaming inspector
gambling manager
waste broker
ICT help desk agent
betting manager

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of gaming dealer.

• Casino policies: The policies and requirements that govern the activities of a casino.
• Casino game rules: The rules and principles that govern the different games played within a casino.
• Responsible gambling: The proper behaviour when participating in a gambling game such as how to be aware of others people’s reactions and why people act and react as they do.

These skills are necessary for the role of gaming dealer.

• Communicate with customers: Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.
• Maintain game area: Maintain cleanliness and overall safety of gaming and working areas.
• Train dealers: Instruct and teach new dealers about the description of their job and introduce them to the team.
• Follow safety precautions in a gaming room: Follow the safety rules concerning gaming rooms to ensure the safety and the pleasure of the gamers, personnel and other by-standers.
• Promote company: To always try to project the company in the best possible light and to go the extra mile to ensure the best possible experience at the club by staff and customers alike. To explain and actively promote all club activities to customers.
• Redistribute wagered money: Pay winnings and collect losing bets as established by the rules and procedures of a specific game.
• Follow ethical code of conduct of gambling: Follow the rules and ethical code used in gambling, betting and lottery. Keep the entertainment of players in mind.
• Take care of personal appearance: Project the correct professional image by ensuring personal appearance is always of the highest standard. Select proper outfit and overall image and outlook; make daily efforts to build a good impression.
• Deal cards: Deal cards to house hands; compare these hands with players’ hands to determine winners, in games such as Blackjack. Operate gaming table and deal the appropriate number of cards to each player.
• Participate in games for player distribution: Participate in casino games to ensure the minimum amount of players at a given table.
• Identify customer’s needs: Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.
• Show good manners with players: Be polite and show good manners towards players, by-standers and other audience.
• Conduct gambling games: To be technically competent in dealing with all games within the casino; to carry out all Gaming operations, including table administration, opening and closing procedures and the soft count operation and be competent with the required standard and in line with requisite regulations.
• Attract gamers: Attract customers to the casino games and engage with them.
• Operate games: Acknowledge and greet all customers to the gaming tables, be fully conversant with the rules and company procedures of all games within the casino; give clear and confident commentary throughout all games and maintain the required level of table security, ensuring that any problems are brought to the attention of the table inspector; control games by pacing them accordingly with regard to ‘chip’ volume and customer and business needs; demonstrate awareness of customers and their mode of play, responding to their requests where appropriate; explain fully the rules of games to customers, recognising when customers require help and provide assistance in a positive manner.
• Focus on service: Actively look for efficient ways to help people.
• Report to gaming manager: Report incidents such as giving signs to other players and laundering money to the gaming manager without necessarily disturbing the gaming process.
• Show diplomacy: Deal with people in a sensitive and tactful way.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of gaming dealer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Adapt to changing situations: Change approach to situations based on unexpected and sudden changes in people’s needs and mood or in trends; shift strategies, improvise and naturally adapt to those circumstances.
• Compute results of games: Compute amounts of players’ money wins or losses; scan winning tickets to calculate the amount of money won.
• Apply gaming psychology: Employ human psychology principles for gaming development strategies in order to create appealing games.
• Deal with public: To adopt a pleasant, professional and positive manner with all customers, anticipating their needs and passing customer complaints to a member of the management team (if necessary) in a calm, professional and non confrontational manner.
• Exchange money for chips: Exchange legal tender for gaming chips, tokens or ticket redemption.
• Apply knowledge of human behaviour: Practice principles related to group behaviour, trends in society, and influence of societal dynamics.
• Manage personal professional development: Take responsibility for lifelong learning and continuous professional development. Engage in learning to support and update professional competence. Identify priority areas for professional development based on reflection about own practice and through contact with peers and stakeholders.

4212 – Bookmakers, croupiers and related gaming workers

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References

1. Gaming dealer – ESCO
2. Gambling Services Workers : Occupational Outlook Handbook – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
3. Table Games Dealer Job Description – Betterteam
4. Featured image: Photo by Javon Swaby