Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Understanding customer needs and providing helpful, professional service.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Gambling Services Worker Dealers should have good customer-service skills. Gambling jobs typically require a high school diploma or equivalent to enter. Some employers require gambling managers to have a college degree.
Education
Gambling dealers, gambling supervisors, and gambling and sports book writers and runners typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. Educational requirements for gambling managers differ by establishment. Some require a high school diploma or equivalent, while others require gambling managers to have some college or a degree. Those who pursue a degree may choose to study casino management, hotel management, or hospitality, in addition to taking courses in business.
Training
Individual casinos or other gambling establishments have their own training requirements. New gambling 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. Completing gambling school before being hired may increase a prospective dealer’s chances of being hired, but it does not guarantee a job. Employers usually audition prospective dealers for open positions to assess their personal qualities. Gambling and sports book writers and runners usually do not have to go to gambling school. They typically are trained in less than 1 month. The employer provides instruction on state and local laws and regulations related to the game, as well the particulars of their job, such as keno calling.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Gambling services workers must be licensed by a state regulatory agency, such as a state casino control board or gambling commission. 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. Age requirements also vary by state. For specific licensing requirements, visit the state’s gambling commission website. Work Experience in a Related Occupation Gambling supervisors and gambling managers usually have several years of experience working in a casino or other gambling establishment. Gambling managers often have experience as a dealer or in the customer outreach department. Slot supervisors and table games supervisors usually have experience working in the activities of their respective areas. Some also have worked in entry-level marketing or customer-service positions. Advancement Often, gambling managers are promoted from positions as slot supervisors or table games supervisors. They also may be moved from a management job in another part of the establishment, such as hospitality, after learning about the establishment’s operations through an internship or on-the-job training. Gambling dealers may advance to become gambling supervisors and, eventually, managers. A slot supervisor or table games supervisor may also advance to become a gambling manager.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Overall employment of gambling services workers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 20,200 openings for gambling services workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Projected employment of gambling services workers varies by occupation (see table). The growth of online gambling may limit employment for some of these workers, including gambling and sports book writers and runners. Although some online gambling is linked to physical locations, online-only gambling sites do not require the same mix of employees. In addition, online betting is a largely automated process, and therefore fewer workers are needed to facilitate online wagers than in-person betting. Demand for some gambling services workers is expected to be driven by the increasing popularity of gambling establishments. Additionally, the few states currently without commercial gambling establishments may allow new casinos to be built over the next decade in an effort to bring in more tax revenue. However, if more states approve expansions in the number of physical and online gambling establishments, the competition for customers will increase. Establishments that fail to keep or attract customers may close, thereby negating some of the jobs created. Gambling Services Workers Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Other management occupations 6% Personal care and service occupations 4% Gambling services workers 3% Total, all occupations 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Gambling Services Workers Do
Gambling services workers serve customers in gambling establishments, such as casinos or racetracks. Some workers tend slot machines or deal cards. Others take bets or pay out winnings. Still others supervise or manage gambling workers and operations.
Duties
Gambling services workers typically do the following:
- Interact with customers and make sure that they have a pleasant experience
- Monitor customers for violations of gambling rules or the establishment’s policies
- Inform their supervisor or a security employee of any irregularities they see
- Enforce safety rules and report hazards
- Explain to customers how to play the games
The following are examples of types of gambling services workers:
First-line supervisors of gambling services workers directly monitor and coordinate the activities of workers in assigned gambling areas. They move within their assigned areas make sure that everything is running smoothly and that all areas are properly staffed. Table games supervisors (also called floor supervisors) oversee gambling dealers, table games, and players. Slot supervisors oversee activities of the slot department.
Gambling and sports book writers and runners handle bets on sporting events and take and record bets for customers. In addition, they help run games such as bingo and keno. They verify tickets and pay out winning tickets, and some runners collect winning tickets from customers.
Gambling dealers operate table games such as blackjack, craps, and roulette. They control the pace and action of the game, announcing each player’s move to the rest of the table and letting players know when it is their turn. They inspect cards or dice, pay off winning bets, and collect on winning bets. Dealers are often required to work at least two games, usually blackjack or craps.
Gambling managers, who also may be casino managers, plan, coordinate, or direct operations in a gambling establishment. They may create house rules, such as for betting limits, and address customer complaints about service. Gambling managers also hire and train new employees.
For information on gambling cage workers, see the profile on financial clerks. For information on gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators, see the profile on security guards and gambling surveillance officers.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Gambling services workers held about 146,500 jobs in 2025. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up gambling services workers was distributed as follows:
| Gambling dealers | 88,900 |
| First-line supervisors of gambling services workers | 27,200 |
| Gambling service workers, all other | 15,300 |
| Gambling and sports book writers and runners | 9,600 |
| Gambling managers | 5,600 |
The largest employers of gambling services workers were as follows:
| Casino hotels | 34% |
| Gambling industries (except casino hotels) | 28 |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 26 |
| Self-employed workers | 4 |
| Spectator sports | 2 |
Gambling 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 gambling services workers 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.
Work Schedules
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.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Communication skills. Gambling services workers must explain the rules of the game to customers and answer their questions. Misunderstandings can cost a customer money and damage the establishment’s reputation. Customer-service skills. Gambling jobs involve interaction with customers. The success or failure of a gambling establishment depends on how customers view the experience, making customer service important for all of these occupations. Leadership skills. Gambling managers and supervisors oversee other gambling services workers and must guide them in doing their jobs and developing their skills. Math skills. Because they may deal with large amounts of money, gambling services workers must be good at math. Organizational skills. Gambling managers and supervisors should have an orderly system in place to handle administrative and other tasks for overseeing gambling services workers. Patience. All gambling services workers must stay composed when they encounter a customer who becomes upset or breaks a rule. They also must stay calm when dealing with equipment failures or malfunctions.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about gambling services workers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.