Due to the increase in number of new casinos and growth in size of existing ones, there are many hotel and gaming jobs available in the main industry of Las Vegas. Since casinos are an integrated part of Las Vegas hotels and many hotels have upwards of 3,000 rooms, there are jobs available for both hotel and casino employees. And since the hotels and casinos never close, employees are needed to work round the clock 24 hours a day, 7 days each week - including holidays.
There are many job categories in casinos, the most well-known and visible are the dealers at the tables for Blackjack, Poker, Baccarat and Craps. Basic requirements for this job are that you must be at least 21 years of age, have no criminal record and be able to pass a drug test. Urine samples will show evidence of drug use within the past four weeks before being tested while hair samples may show drugs were used up to three months before the test. If an applicant cannot pass an extensive background check as well as the drug test, he or she will not be hired as a dealer.
If you want to become a dealer, how do you get your experience? You must have special skills and training before you are put out on the floor and should be aware that while this is an exciting job, it comes with a great deal of stress. If you have a friend who is a professional dealer, you can get some help from that direction. In addition, Las Vegas has a number of good training schools for dealers. And some of the hotel casinos have their own in-house facilities for training dealers.
In order to be hired as a dealer, you are required to be friendly and have excellent customer service skills along with the technical skills needed to deal specialty table games. Unless you are an experienced dealer from another area in the United States, you will most likely have to begin your career at a "break in house". These are the smaller, less glamorous casinos off the Strip where it is easier to be hired and gain experience. Some of the main drawbacks to these jobs is the lack of amenities such as hotel accommodations, restaurants, shows, shops and spas which draw the "high rollers" or "whales" that are attracted to the glitz of the Strip. These people are the ones who are the big tippers who provide a large source of income for dealers.
In addition to the dealers, there are many other casino jobs such as keno and sports book writers and slot machine technicians. On a higher job level are box men, floor men, pit bosses, shift bosses and various casino and sports book managers. Cocktail waitresses and keno runners provide services to patrons at the slot machines and in the showrooms.
Behind the scenes are surveillance personnel at the "eye in the sky" who are constantly observing casino activity to see that there are no attempts at cheating at the table games or at the machines. There are office personnel such as accountants, auditors, clerks, secretaries and marketing and advertising staff as well as the staff in the slot clubs.
For those who do not have the appropriate experience to begin by working in the casinos, there are hotel jobs such as front desk, reservation and shop employees along with a host of others. Most of the large hotels have a policy of promoting from within. Consequently, after you pass a three or six-month probationary period, you can apply for a job in another area if you so desire. If you wish to become a dealer, you will be trained on your own time but the career paths are there for those with skill and the right personality.
A woman friend new to Las Vegas needed a job in a hurry as her husband was having difficulty obtaining employment. She was hired as a sales associate in a gift shop in one of the large, glamorous Strip hotels and had mentioned when she was hired that she would like to become a dealer. She did very well at her job, was well liked and had an excellent appearance and outgoing personality. When her three month probationary period was up, they asked her to attend dealer school. However, her husband had gotten a job and she chose to stay home and raise her three year old son. She was asked a number of times to stay and be promoted and they were very disappointed when she left.
If you are living in another state and are seeking employment in a Las Vegas casino or hotel, you can apply for a job online. However, if you do not have relevant hotel or casino experience, you will not be flown out here at the employer's expense. You should have a local address and phone number to be hired. Most likely the best way to gain casino employment is to apply for an entry level job at either the hotel or casino of your choice.
After you are hired, you will be required to obtain a work card also known as a Sheriff's card, a Health card and possibly a TAM card (Techniques of Alcohol Management), depending upon the job for which you are hired. The Human Resources Department will provide all paperwork needed and instructions for completion.
Benefits to hotel and casino employees include medical coverage, paid vacations and 401K plans instead of retirement programs. There are no specific holidays due to hotels and casinos being a service industry catering to the tourist trade but you will likely receive another day off in compensation or extra holiday pay. If you work full time, you will receive a free meal equal to that purchased by paying guests.
