What to Expect When Working as a Croupier
Job Overview
What to Expect When Working as a Croupier
If you’re a casino enthusiast, you might consider at some point becoming a croupier, or dealer. It can be an exciting career path that gives you an insider view of the gambling world.
However, not everything in a croupier’s life is glamour and high stakes. Long hours and training are just some of the requirements for the job, as well as physical endurance and excellent customer-oriented skills.
That said, let’s explore some critical issues about becoming a croupier and dealing (no pun intended) with everyday job situations.
What’s It Really About?
In short, the croupier is in charge of operating a game at the casino. In order to clarify, “dealer” and “croupier” are the same thing but people tend to use the former for people in charge of card-based games, and the latter for roulette.
Whatever you call it, you’ll be witnessing the gamblers’ successes and defeats on the table. Thus, a calm attitude and tolerance to wildly different personalities are a must for the job. Additionally, you need to be able to spot cheaters, stand for hours, be able to work in shifts in many cases, and have high levels of concentration.
You also need to be quick with numbers, calculate the correct payouts, and be stoic at all times. You’re basically a guardian of the game and a bridge between the casino and the casino patrons.
Now, let’s move on to earnings. The average croupier salary in April 2023 was USD 11.79 in Las Vegas, according to Indeed. While this might be dismal to some, remember that tips make up a huge part of any croupier’s income.
If it sounds like your thing, let’s move on to how to get started.
Training is Required in Order to Be A Successful Blackjack Dealer
Depending on where in the world you want to become a croupier, you may need a licence to perform as a professional croupier. What doesn’t change is that you’ll always need some form of training to become one.
This training isn’t just finding a great and complete blackjack guide online, learning it all, and then postulating as a “blackjack dealer”. You need to know everything related to casino gaming and get proper training from different organisations.
In some cases, the casino might offer in-house training. However, your prospects are better if you already have some training. Courses last six weeks on average and can cost from several hundred to several thousand dollars.
What you get in the courses is not only knowing the rules of casino games. They also deal with how to open and close tables, shuffle cards, proper etiquette, be proficient when managing chips, and much more.
The Need for a Licence
When you finish the course, and depending on where in the world you reside, you might need a licence. For example, you need a Personal Functional Licence (PFL) in the United Kingdom if you want to become a croupier.
If you’re in the United States, the requirements vary depending on the state. Whereas in Atlantic City you need a licence, in Las Vegas you need a sheriff’s card. Of course, licences are costly, with some reaching five hundred dollars.
Applying for a licence doesn’t guarantee success, however. For example, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission can refuse your application, and you have an instance to appeal to an independent tribunal.
If you live elsewhere, you need to check with your local authorities on whether a licence is required and if so, what are the requisites for it. In some cases, you might be required to prove you don’t have a criminal record.
The Good Stuff
All of what we’ve mentioned before might not sound too enticing for any prospective croupier. Even then, there are several reasons why a career as a croupier might be worthwhile.
First of all, the reasons many want to become croupiers are still there. The casino world, together with interesting characters, glamour and even the possibility of getting a job on a cruise ship is very appealing.
Besides that, there are good prospects for career growth. You can start out as a croupier, then move on to being a manager. This is especially true for loyal employees since the industry has a high turnover. If you stick around, you’ll undoubtedly have many opportunities.
Summing Up
Croupier life isn’t for everyone, and it’s good to know that the idealised version of it, while true to some extent, is backed by a lot of hard work, enthusiasm and love for what you’re doing.
However, the thrill of being the medium with which people make it big can be exhilarating, as well as the additional opportunities that might arise. Just be sure to investigate everything regulatory-wise when it comes to your region.
