Casino Careers: Land-Based vs. Online Job Opportunities

Are you thinking of a career change? The gambling industry provides plenty of exciting opportunities that appeal to people with all types of employment backgrounds, from hospitality to security. In this guide to casino careers, we’ve looked at the best job options for both the land-based and online casino industries.

We’ve covered the differences between being employed by online casino sites versus land-based casinos. As you’ll discover, the in-person element plays a large role. We’ve then broken down the common land-based casino jobs before outlining some popular work options at online casinos.

From there, you’ll learn about which states have the most online casino jobs and land-based casino careers. To round out the guide, you’ll learn about some useful skills and essential qualities that are needed from workers in the gambling industry. You can jump to each section with the links below or keep reading.

• Land-Based vs. Online Casino Jobs
• Land-Based Casino Jobs
• Online Casino Jobs
• States With the Most Casino Jobs
• Qualities Needed for a Successful Casino Career

Land-Based vs. Online Casino Jobs

There are plenty of differences between working at land-based casinos and online casinos that have to do with the experience provided by each. Land-based casinos are popular due to their social element, with visitors often able to enjoy food and beverage services, entertainment, retail opportunities, and resort stays.

Therefore, the available jobs are often related to the hospitality and tourism sectors. Online casinos, on the other hand, provide a wholly digital experience, whether you’re playing at home or on the go with your mobile device. For this reason, many of the jobs will have something to do with software or web design.

The most notable similarity between both industries is that live dealers and security are an integral part of the operation. That said, these are still quite different from one another. The biggest advantage of online casino employment is that you may be able to work from home or in a nearby office building.

Land-based casino employment will require you to live in a state where these are legal, and they can often be located in areas far away from major cosmopolitan areas. However, land-based casino careers are broader in their scope and allow you to work in exciting and glamorous environments every day.

Land-Based Casino Jobs

According to the American Gaming Association, more than 750,000 people are employed at casinos across 40 states in the USA. Over 40% of these employees are located in Nevada, with 47% of jobs paying over $75,000 per year. We’ve highlighted the most common land-based casino jobs below.

Food and Beverage

With roughly 14% of all land-based casino employees in food and beverage services, this is the largest sector of employment in the industry. This includes bar staff, cocktail makers, baristas, waiters, chefs, and porters, among other titles. As many casinos offer varying levels of service and cuisine, there are opportunities for all experience levels.

Dealer

Casino dealer jobs also account for 14% of the employment options at land-based casinos. You’ll be trained on the job if you don’t have any experience, but you’ll want to be charismatic, patient, vigilant, and passionate about the games if you’re going to be successful. This is a great way to earn tips.

Operations

Another large portion of land-based employees are involved with the day-to-day operations of the casinos and resorts. These include floor and staff supervisors and cashiers, or corporate employees and administrators. You’ll likely need to have some experience in these fields to find successful employment.

Security

One of the most important casino jobs can be found in security. These workers are essential for protecting guests, staff, and the business against cheating, theft, fraud, vandalism, and abuse. Security workers help to ensure that everyone on-site can have an enjoyable and safe experience.

Housekeeping and Custodial

Roughly 5% of employees at a land-based casino are in housekeeping or custodial roles. These employees are in charge of keeping casino floors, hotels, and public areas tidy and sanitary. With so many travelers coming from all parts of the world, hygiene is an integral part of keeping everyone healthy and comfortable.

Software Engineers

While the gaming software used by casinos will be designed and built off-site, most casinos will employ engineers and technical staff to maintain and check digital games such as slots. They will also help to maintain the operating systems and computers used by the operations staff.

Online Casino Jobs

Online casino jobs are different from land-based casinos in that they tend to involve the operation of software and web technology. While you won’t be able to see the fruits of your labor in any physical space, this doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to have a satisfying and financially rewarding career. We’ve looked at some top employment options for online casinos below.

Software and Web Developers

If you have any experience in software or web development, the online casino industry provides many exciting opportunities. You could work in game development, IT engineering, payment solutions, database administration, front-end and back-end development, and user experience design. These can be very creative jobs and may even allow you to work from home.

Live Dealers

The need for charismatic and professional live dealers has been exploding as the industry grows. With jobs going for around $20 an hour, you’ll be trained on-site to host games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and game shows. There are shifts available 24/7, with live casino jobs taking place on-site at state-of-the-art production studios.

Security Experts

As the threat of hackers, scams, and criminal enterprises continues to challenge the online gambling sector, there will always be a need for experienced security experts. These roles will include maintaining data and financial protection, engineering cyber security programs, disaster recovery, and auditing IT security procedures.

Customer Support

Many online casinos provide users with around-the-clock technical and personal support. These may be offered with live chat, email, and telephone services. If you have any experience as a customer support agent, you’ll be able to find flexible shifts in the online gaming sector.

Regulation

As the online gambling market begins to expand, regulations continue to change to address evolutions in technology and player safety. There are a number of jobs dedicated to testing and auditing the fairness and quality of games, responsible gambling support, and adherence to local state iGaming laws.

States With the Most Jobs

There are a number of states that offer more casino careers, especially in the land-based casino industry. Nevada has the highest level of employment, with almost half of the entire casino workforce located in the state. Other states with high levels of land-based casino employment include Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York.

The Qualities Needed for a Successful Casino Career

Do you think you have what it takes to lead a successful career in the casino industry? Depending on what area you wish to work in, there are some skills and qualities that are an absolute must. The first is discretion and attentiveness. You must work to protect the integrity of casino games and keep an eye out for unsavory behavior.

You should also be able to bring a friendly, hospitable, and charismatic attitude, especially when working in customer-facing roles. If you wish to get into the online casino industry, you’ll likely need experience in software development, game development, or web design. You will also need to be honest and committed to the security of the site.