Working in a casino may seem glamorous, but it is hard work
Long hours of walking, standing, stooping, and other activities can be quiet a strain on even the fittest of individuals.
I took a look at several job sites and found some of the highest paying positions in the casinos. These are all below director level.
Keep in mind, at Tribal casinos, usually, members of the tribe are given first preference for any position.
1 – Slot Host
The slot host position can vary depending on the casino. In some casinos, it is an actual host that greets and asks as a point of information to casino patrons. They usually are in a central location for guests to find them easily.
In other casinos, the slot host doubles as an attendant. They walk the floors, look for issues, and report problems to the slot supervisors.
For the most part, experience isn’t necessary for the job. But the casino will insist on graduation from high school and competency with handling and counting money. This is considered an entry-level position in most cases.
The slot host in many cases is tasked with making the slot environment upbeat and exciting. They do this through customer interaction. They provide encouragement to patrons and help celebrate wins with customers.
Some of the other requirements of the job include:
Patrolling assigned section of the slots area to look for opportunities to assist guests
Provides best-in-class customer service to all patrons
Ability to communicate the functions available on the slot floor to customers (how things work, where things are, etc.)
Responds to customers in the right order for service requests such as slot dispatch, slot candle lights, and radio.
Verifies and countersigns on hand paid jackpots
Resolves guest issues and complaints in a prompt manner
Corrects minor machine malfunctions including coin jams, printer errors, bill validators, and slot light repairs
Participates in slot machine upgrades and implementing new initiatives
Follows regulatory, departmental, and company policies in an ethical manner, including those pertaining to federal and state regulatory laws and guidelines and ensures required gaming licenses are valid and up-to-date
Maintains monetary and paperwork accuracy
Accurately pays jackpots; performs buy-in transactions with slot players; counts down and reconciles bank/wallet at end of the shift.
Increases customer base by opening new accounts through cross-selling and promoting casino rewards program
Actively stays informed of continually changing promotional events and services
Maintains in-depth game knowledge and proactively explains games to customers
Keeps slot areas clean, secure, and well maintained
In this position, you’re expected to be an information source and promoter of the casino through great customer service and your product knowledge.
Slots hosts can expect to make $30,000 to $38,000 ($14 to $18 per hour) before overtime and any bonuses. This is a position that may get a lot of overtime in a 24-hour casino, so you can look at about 20-25 hours a week in overtime, effectively doubling your salary.
2 – Slot Supervisor
The slot supervisor position is the heart of the slots floor. This position generally reports to the slot manager and controls all employee activity regarding the slots area. In this position, the supervisor is constantly on the floor monitoring for issues, dispatching associates to assist customers, and ensuring the overall smooth operations of the area.
Usually, this position requires graduation from high school and 1 to 3 years’ experience in a casino slot machine department with increasingly expanding responsibilities that would develop the candidate into a well-rounded supervisor.
Depending on the location and whether the casino is a tribal or a corporate entity, requirements like state licensing, tribal certifications, or additional certifications such as a course in casino operations may be required.
Some of the duties of the job include:
Investigates and resolves customer issues
Approves large payouts according to casino policy
Trains new slot employees
Provides refresher and new roll out training to existing slot employees
Writes and submits employee appraisals
Manages small repairs on machines such as tilt resets
Implement and administer new policies and procedures as necessary
Create and manage employee schedules
Ability to handle and count large sums of cash, possibly in multiple currencies
These duties may vary from casino to casino, as with every business, casino or not, companies define their own employees’ roles.
This is one of the introductory tracks into upper management and is a great way to gain experience in the industry.
Income generated from slot machines account for up to 75% of the casino incomes in the United States, so supervising the profit center of the casino is a high profile gig.
As a slot supervisor, you’ll likely be paid on an hourly basis. The base pay would be in the $30,000 – $43,000 range, which is about $14 to $21 per hour. But this doesn’t include overtime.
Slot supervisors and casino employees, in general, can expect a lot of overtime. This is especially true in 24-hour casinos. Finding competent and consistent employees can be a challenge. So you may expect an additional 20 to 25 hours a week in overtime in some casinos, effectively doubling your annual salary.
Some casinos also offer performance bonuses as well. So when all totaled up, a slot manager can make in the neighborhood of $80,000 per year.
3 – Pit Clerk
The pit clear kin a casino monitors the table games. They keep an eye out for customers that approach tables and see how they’re betting. This is done for a few reasons:
Security
To ensure that tables aren’t getting overwhelmed with customers
To help track customers for comp points
To assist dealers and track down the pit boss for issues
To be a pit clerk, you must:
Have 1-year experience in data entry
Know how to work a 10 key machine
Obtain any certifications of licenses required by the gaming commission where you plan to work
Have 6 months to 1-year experience in a casino environment
The duties of a pit clerk may seem like a short list, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot to do. A pit clerk is expected to:
Obtain ID’s from Floor Supervisors and enroll/update customers in the rewards program
Enter customer ratings in credit/marketing system
Verify customer credit to floor supervisors and issue markers
Secure and redeem markers
Perform table balance to verify that all markers are posted correctly
Monitor and verify cash transactions in the Title 31 system
Enter table fills, table credits, and comps
Enter end of shift table figures for wins/losses
A pit clerk can pay well. The average pay ranges from $38,000 to $65,000 per year ($18 to 31 per hour). You can expect this to be an hourly job and overtime to be offered. In a casino where table games are offered 24 hours a day, you could expect about 20-25 hours of overtime, which would effectively double your pay. Casinos with fewer hours may still see about 10-12 hours a week.
4 – Pit Boss
The pit boss is in charge of everything happening in their area or “pit” of the casino. The pit of a casino is usually set up with 2 rows of gaming tables arranged back-to-back. The tables face outward toward the aisle. Pits may vary in size, depending on the size of the casino
At the end of each pit may be a barrier for keeping the public out, or another game table facing a cross aisle. Small casinos may feature only one pit, while larger ones may have a dozen or more, with pits devoted to a single game such as craps or roulette.
To be a pit boss, casinos will expect you to have:
A high school diploma
At least 3 years’ experience in casino Table Games, usually including 1 year as a supervisor
Obtain any certifications of licenses required by the gaming commission where you plan to work
The duties and requirements of a pit boss are a lot more involved than that of a pit clerk, and rightfully so, as it is a management position. As a bit boss, you can expect such duties as:
Overseeing the total operation of the assigned pit area
Communicating information to management when appropriate
Assigning supervisors to proper areas
Ensuring strict compliance with casino policy and procedures
Training and developing supervisor’s skills
Responsible for all attendance tracking
Counseling and working with employees on procedural problems
Dealing effectively with customer problems/complaints
Maintaining proper bank for all games within the assigned pit area
Assisting with tournaments and promotions
Planning and implementing work schedules
Ability to deal effectively with the public
Ability to work odd and unusual hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays
Knowledge of all table games rules and regulations
You can see in the description that casinos look for the position to work odd and unusual hours. This can include holidays and overtime.
Pit bosses can usually make $50,000 to $75,000 per year. These positions are usually salaried. Most include a performance bonus of some type allowing you to make anywhere from $5,000 to $25,000 more per year.
5 – Table Games Supervisor
The table games supervisor is the person who manages the pit bosses in the casino. They act as the on the floor management for the table games area.
To be a table games supervisor, you must have:
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university
2 years progressively more challenging experience in a gaming operations role, some table games experience preferred
The ability to develop effective problem-solving skills with the ability to exercise independent judgment within established policies
Excellent interpersonal skills
The ability to respond calmly and make rational decisions in stressful situations with co-workers, guests, and vendors
The ability to stand and walk, and mobility to move easily around the pit area as well as entire property for the entire shift
The job entails the following duties:
Supervises the operation table games on assigned shift
Works closely with table games manager to implement and oversee overall strategies for customer service, comping, and expense management in order to maximize profitability
Drives improved results through staff development and training programs, and established methods, procedures and guidelines to maintain desired standards, and high-quality service, then monitors results through inspection, evaluation, and Works with Manager to make changes if necessary to achieve the end result
Accountability for all team members for day to day and long-term operations to include hiring, training and developing employees which include coaching, mentoring and appropriate performance management up to and including separation
Responsible for scheduling (planning, assigning and directing work) to meet business demands and ensure customer satisfaction on assigned tables
Provides visible leadership in gaming operation areas
Responsible for the overall integrity of daily operations. Models regulatory, departmental and company policies and procedures
The table games supervisor position is a salaried position. The salary for the position ranges from $42,000 to $70,000 per year with the ability to make substantially more with annual bonus payouts if profitability goals are met.
6 – Table Games Manager
The table games manager is the person in charge of all the activity at the table games. They also manage the business of the table games. They assess the profitability of the tables and the pace of the games. For instance, if a table isn’t meeting a projected goal, they’ll then investigate the root causes and make changes. They may also make recommendations to upper management about adding tables or games or eliminating tables or games.
Table games managers are usually required to have extensive casino experience. In most cases, the prerequisites for the position include:
Must have the equivalent of 5 to 10 years previous casino gaming knowledge which should include actual experience dealing and supervising all table games
Must possess broad knowledge of casino rules, procedures, and regulations, with strong organizational, communication and leadership skills
Excellent customer service and employee skills
Prior casino shift supervisory or management experience and a working knowledge of general business and accounting procedures
Must have knowledge of casino rules, procedures, and regulations pertaining to casino operations.
A Master’s Degree from an accredited university
The duties and requirements of the table games manager position include:
Ensuring compliance with policies, rules and regulations, and internal controls for the department
Develops and implements short and long-range goals for the department
Analyzes table games to ensure maximum profitability and efficiency
Provides property security and accountability of company funds entrusted to the department
Recommends changes in the physical layout of games and gaming devices and support areas to promote the most effective utilization of equipment, manpower, and floor space
Oversees the determination of staffing requirements and establishes or approves shift schedules
Inspects equipment and floor area on a regular basis
Uses knowledge of table games to evaluate and monitor the environment, games, and layouts
Maintains current information on laws and regulations affecting table games
Researches and evaluates new technologies
Reviews and assesses reports and other relevant sources of information related to table games operation
Provides direction and support for all staff to achieve company goals and objectives through the fair application of policies and procedures
The table games manager is a salaried position. While long hours may be needed on occasion, especially if a staff shortage occurs, not much overtime would be required in this position. You can expect a standard executive schedule of 50 hours per week.
The salary for this position would start at about $60,000 and go up to $90,000 depending on experience, location, and the company that you work for. You can also expect annual bonuses based on department performance which could significantly increase the pay if profitability goals are met.
7 – Casino Supervisor
The casino supervisor is in charge of the smooth operations of the casino. Generally, all casino departments are overseen by the supervisor. The supervisor works with the department managers to make sure of things like:
Equipment is functioning properly
Departments are adequately staffed
Customer issues are being resolved in a timely manner according to company policies
In order to be a casino supervisor, you’ll need the following qualifications:
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
1-year experience in casino operations
The ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide into all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs
Obtain any certifications of licenses required by the gaming commission where you plan to work
Some of the duties you can expect to perform as a casino supervisor include:
Supports and administers operational goals and monitors achievements of performance and profit objectives
Adheres to scheduling and coordinates with manager any scheduling concerns, with attention to guest satisfaction
Responsible for supporting compliance with departmental budgets
Ensures customer service standards are followed by all team members and addresses issues as they arise
Ensures efficiency of Slot machines and related gaming equipment during assigned shift
Provides authorizing/verifying the signature for jackpot payments, when applicable, in accordance with established procedures
Assists with service light calls
Notifies slot technicians if any technical issues arise
Monitors chips and cash transactions between dealers and customers and ensures that proper payout amounts are paid to customers, in accordance with established procedures
Accounts for chips on assigned games
Responsible for ensuring the compliance with all regulatory compliance within the area of responsibility and reporting potential issues to management
The casino supervisor is a salaried position and pays in the range of $40,000 to $75,000. You can expect a 50 hour week with some extra hours required when the casino is short staffed. Bonuses are generally offered for this position depending on casino profitability which can be about a 25% boost to your annual salary if all goals are met.
8 – Casino Manager
The casino manager is the operations manager of the casino floor. All issues ultimately fall on his or her lap. All departments report to the casino manager, although they’re usually filtered through the casino supervisors.
To be a casino manager, you must have the following experience and qualifications:
10 years previous casino gaming knowledge which should include experience in slot and table game operations.
Must possess broad knowledge of casino rules, procedures, and regulations, with strong organizational, communication and leadership skills.
Prior casino shift supervisory/management experience and a working knowledge of general business and accounting procedures.
A master’s degree from an accredited university
Obtain any certifications of licenses required by the gaming commission where you plan to work
The duties of a casino manager include:
Responsible for supporting the director of gaming operations in all departmental initiatives related to hiring, training, and process/procedure development
Maintains working knowledge of all local jurisdictional gaming laws (federal, state, and local) and attendant regulations as well as company internal controls
Monitors expenses to operate within established budgets
Plans and approves employee scheduling to assure proper staffing to meet business demands; monitor staffing to ensure levels are aligned with business volumes
Continually follows up and evaluates the status of daily work and strategic projects
Works with surveillance and other departments to aid in the protection of assets and maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of slot operations
Coaches direct reports in pertinent skills of operations, administration and promotes effective utilization of equipment and manpower
Authorizes guest comps to recognize loyal players in accordance with company guidelines
The casino manager is a salaried position that pays anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 per year. Bonuses of up to 30% can be made for hitting annual profitability targets. Most casino manager positions are expected to work 50 hours per week.
Conclusion
As you can see, lower and middle management can pay well at casinos. Gaining experience on the lower level jobs may be required to break into the management team, so you may have to work as a dealer or slot host to start.
A degree in business management or even better hospitality management can be a big boost to your resume for one of these positions, so that may be a route you want to pursue before applying.
