Gambling Dealers
Operate table games. Stand or sit behind table and operate games of chance by dispensing the appropriate number of cards or blocks to players, or operating other gambling equipment. Distribute winnings or collect players' money or chips. May compare the house's hand against players' hands.
🎬Career Video
📋Key Responsibilities
- •Pay winnings or collect losing bets as established by the rules and procedures of a specific game.
- •Greet customers and make them feel welcome.
- •Exchange paper currency for playing chips or coin money.
- •Check to ensure that all players have placed bets before play begins.
- •Inspect cards and equipment to be used in games to ensure that they are in good condition.
- •Deal cards to house hands, and compare these with players' hands to determine winners, as in black jack.
- •Stand behind a gaming table and deal the appropriate number of cards to each player.
- •Apply rule variations to card games such as poker, in which players bet on the value of their hands.
💡Inside This Career
The gambling dealer operates table games in casinos—dealing cards, spinning roulette wheels, managing chips, and maintaining the game pace and atmosphere that casino gaming requires. A typical shift centers on dealing. Perhaps 80% of time goes to game operation: dealing, making payouts, collecting bets. Another 10% involves game security—watching for cheating, calculating odds correctly. The remaining time addresses breaks and shift transitions.
People who thrive as dealers combine manual dexterity with quick mental math and the personality that keeps gamblers engaged. Successful dealers develop expertise in their games while building the customer service skills that casino entertainment requires. They must remain pleasant despite losing players. Those who struggle often cannot maintain the dealing pace required or find the casino environment draining. Others fail because they cannot handle customers who are losing money and becoming hostile.
Casino dealing operates the table games that are central to casino revenue, with dealers providing both the game mechanics and the atmosphere that keeps players engaged. The field serves as the front line of casino gaming. Gambling dealers appear in discussions of casino operations, customer service, and the workforce running table games.
Practitioners cite the tips and the engaging work environment as primary rewards. The tips can be substantial at busy casinos. The casino environment is engaging. The games are interesting. The schedule provides consistent hours. The skills are specialized. The career provides advancement paths. Common frustrations include the customer abuse and the physical demands. Many find that losing players can be hostile and abusive. The standing for entire shifts is exhausting. The overnight hours affect lifestyle. The smoking in many casinos affects health. Tip pooling may reduce individual earnings. Customer dependency on gambling raises ethical concerns.
This career requires dealer training programs plus casino licensing. Strong dealing skills, mental math, and customer service ability are essential. The role suits those who enjoy games and can handle customer dynamics. It is poorly suited to those uncomfortable with gambling, preferring day shifts, or unable to tolerate difficult customers. Compensation is moderate base plus tips, varying by casino and location.
📈Career Progression
📚Education & Training
Requirements
- •Entry Education: High school diploma or equivalent
- •Experience: Some experience helpful
- •On-the-job Training: Few months to one year
Time & Cost
🤖AI Resilience Assessment
AI Resilience Assessment
Medium Exposure + Human Skills: AI augments this work but human judgment remains essential
How much of this job involves tasks AI can currently perform
Likelihood that AI replaces workers vs. assists them
(BLS 2024-2034)
How much this role relies on distinctly human capabilities
💻Technology Skills
⭐Key Abilities
🏷️Also Known As
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🔗Data Sources
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