The Lowdown on Casino Dealer Schools
As you’ll learn throughout this overview, there are plenty of perks and drawbacks to becoming a casino dealer. While it can be a potentially lucrative foot in the door position into the gaming industry, it can also be incredibly demanding and draining at times, you need to be cut out for the role. Before we get carried away, however, let’s discuss casino dealer schools and what they expect of enrollees.
On the whole, there are general personal requirements for applicants of dealer schools. They must be at least 18 years old, although bear in mind that some American states like Nevada require individuals to be 21 or overdue to their regional gambling laws. In terms of education, candidates should also hold at least a high school diploma. Critically, they should have a clean record with no felonies or misdemeanours related to theft or fraud.
When it comes to passing the torch of knowledge, the teachers themselves should have tons of experience working at casino tables. While their knowledge should be extensive, we recommend that you don’t learn everything from the same teacher but instead train with different experts of each game type.
If you’re wondering how much time to clear from your busy schedule, most casino dealer school courses can take between six and twelve weeks to complete, depending on the diversity of your training. It’s worth noting that several of the most prestigious schools can set up auditions afterward or will invite casino managers to come and scout blossoming new talents. This is true for land-based establishments as well as developers for live casinos.
Training On-The-Job
You may be reading this and asking yourself ‘what can I do if there aren’t any casino dealer schools near me?’ if so, don’t fret! While it’s undeniably beneficial to attend a recognized training course when becoming a dealer, many local casinos offer real on-the-job world training as long as there’s a demand for new dealers.
To increase your chances of securing a spot on one of these programs, keep an eye out for casinos that are brand new or yet to open. It’s also relatively common for established gaming franchises that own and maintain several establishments to offer on-the-job training with potential offers of a permanent placement at one of their casinos if you’re worth your salt.
Types of Casino Dealer Training Courses
While the gaming licenses and legal requirements required for casinos to operate will inevitably vary from country to country and state to state, the game rules themselves stay constant. As a casino dealer is expected to do their homework to ensure that all games they oversee run efficiently, smoothly, and speedily. Here are the main types of casino game training that an upcoming dealer can learn to host.
- Poker Dealing
- Blackjack Dealing
- Craps Dealing
- Roulette Dealing
- Baccarat Dealing
Throughout these courses, dealers will be schooled on a veritable host of topics. They will learn how to shuffle, deal, and spread cards, dealing techniques, and hand reading. They will be taught how to rapidly manage bets and players which includes scanning for foul play and spotting irregularities as well as how to calculate odds quickly.
Perhaps not as glamorous as the games themselves yet undeniably important, players will also brush up on their understanding of the more bureaucratic sides of casino life. This means they’ll have to learn about licenses, insurance policy requirements, commission rules, and the levels of professionalism that will be expected of them as dealers commanding control over each casino game.
Requirements of the Role
Before you enlist at a casino dealer school, we recommend that you reflect first on what the role will require of you as both an individual and as a budding professional. Naturally, there are particular personality traits and skills that will aid you immensely once you’re out on the casino floor taking in the heat of the action.
Some skills and characteristics that a dealer should command include:
- Great communication skills
- Professional customer-service skills
- The ability to be analytic and calculating
- Friendly personality
- Physical stamina
- Patience
Unsurprisingly, being able to communicate with your colleagues and players will be crucial to your career in any casino. You will also be expected to perform quick math while having to tolerate a loud and rowdy atmosphere when working, therefore patience, poise, communication, and a cool-head are indispensable.
A dealer may come to depend on the tips provided by patrons to beef up their income so an overall fun, a charming disposition is likely to increase the size of the tips that’ll go into your pockets. However, the betting world isn’t all sunshine and smiles as you may know, which is why we’d like to discuss some of the pitfalls of being a casino dealer in the next section.
Drawbacks of Being a Dealer
If you’re not a people person, you will certainly struggle with this job. Dealers are expected to be incredibly flexible with their working hours, and will have to work at weekends, holidays, and all hours of the night.
According to many experienced dealers, , the work can be physically and emotionally draining as you will be on your feet throughout your shifts. On an emotional level, players can act belligerently if they’re playing poorly, on a bad luck streak, or even had too much to drink which is why a cool composure is critical.
On top of it all, the all-seeing eye of the casino is constantly upon you as well. Untold sums of money flow through casino doors and the house won’t leave any stones unturned when it comes to protecting their money. Dealers are always scanned for signs of cheating or collusion whilst working, which may make some individuals feel ill at ease.
Earning a Living
You may be thinking that this all sounds well and good, but what’s the pay like? So let’s talk about what you’ll bring home as a dealer. Unfortunately, the demands for dealers may be seasonal, meaning at times of the year there mightn’t be as many hours to go round. However, the average annual base salary for a casino dealer sits at around $14.75 per hour.
For dealers, the total earnings you’ll make are boosted by your tips. These vary depending on the games you’re dealing with and how much you strike a chord with players, but tips can double or triple your annual income (if sources can be believed).
Be mindful that tips are of course subject to cultural attitudes, as some European countries might not tip as generously as Americans tend to do, but instead will offer a higher living wage.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you find yourself at the end of this article itching to kick start a thrilling new career, then we salute you and wish you all the best! However, if you still find yourself with some queries about casino dealer schools, we’ve got you covered. Below are some of the most popular questions that we receive from our readers, asked and answered.
Keep reading to learn more, or be sure to browse through some of our other in-depth gaming guides to the gaming industry. Good luck out there!
How do I become a casino dealer?
Luckily for some, you don’t need a fancy college degree to become a casino dealer, at the very least all that’s required is a high-school education and a clean criminal record. During your training, you will learn specific game rules, how to accept bets, deal cards and operate gaming machines for games such as roulette. Once your coaching is complete, you will have all of the necessary knowledge to work in a casino. All you have to do next is pass the audition!
How much does it cost to go to dealer school?
It’s worth considering that the cost of classes will largely depend on the dealer school you attend and how extensive your dealer training course is. We recommend setting aside anywhere from $500 - $,1000 at the very least to acquire this professional training. Consider too that additional training in more niche table games, such as craps, might cause the cost of tuition to rise.
Do casino dealers make good money?
It’s complicated. According to recent labor statistics, the average annual hourly wage for a casino dealer sits at around $14.75. Although this will largely depend on the establishment itself, don’t lose hope as tips can be where additional money is made. Some casino dealers even claim to double or triple their average salary through tips alone! The biggest tips come from dealing casino poker, but with all of the rules (which can also vary from house to house), players, and pots to keep track of, it is also the most challenging and skill-intensive game to deal with.
How long does it take to become a casino dealer?
The training itself can take anywhere between six to twelve weeks to complete at verified dealer schools, although some have more flexible schedules than others. The game that requires the least time to master the dealing techniques is blackjack. In some cases, the casino themselves may offer on-the-job training. Not only will you learn about local laws and regulations, but you can also specialize in one or more games and gain vital experience from classroom roleplay scenarios.
