Who Works in the Casino Industry?
No matter what your educational or professional background, there’s probably a job waiting for you at one of America’s gaming establishments or at one of hundreds of online casinos abroad.
This industry accepts almost anyone with an enterprising spirit and the ability to work well with the general public. One of the few restrictions for casino floor employment is age. In Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Reno and Atlantic City casino personnel must be 21 years old or older; but at many Indian gaming casinos employees may work on the casino floor starting at age 18.
In addition to specific age requirements, applicants will be checked for evidence of a criminal record. Because of the nature of the business – one in which a tremendous amount of cash flows through the hands of several employees – extensive background checks are performed prior to employment. Depending on the offense, a criminal record may preclude the applicant from casino floor employment.
Along with the industry’s relatively newfound focus on family values and the idea of gaming as entertainment has come lower tolerance for illegal drug use. Employees often find themselves subject to drug testing, either through a urine sample or by the more telling hair sample. (Urine samples may detect traces of drugs up to four weeks after use; hair samples may detect use up to three months prior to the test.) If you have any doubts about your ability to pass either a thorough background check or a drug test, think about pursuing a different line of work. The old days of casino owners looking the other way are long over. In this era of respectability, casinos operate like most any other multimillion dollar business – with policies, procedures, and paperwork. Employees are expected to be drug free and exceptionally trustworthy, considering the amount of hard cash they see in a typical day. Remember, when working on the casino floor, you represent the casino and should always do so in the utmost professional manner.