Hospitality & Food

How to become a Casino Dealer

From no experience: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there

1–3 months

Typical pay

$34k–$60k

Starting from

No experience

Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from no experience and includes any licence or programme legally required, not just course length.

The route

1. 1

   4–12 weeks

   Attend a dealer school

   Casinos often run their own free schools; independent schools charge.

2. 2

   1–3 months

   Learn one game cold

   Blackjack first, usually. Chip handling and payout accuracy at speed.

3. 3

   Get your gaming licence

   State gaming board licensing with a full background and financial check.

   ◆ State gaming licence

4. 4

   1–2 years

   Add games and move up

   Craps and baccarat dealers earn most; tokes make up much of the income.

5. ✓

   Destination

   Casino Dealer

   Browse jobs now →