What Does a Casino Manager Do?

First, you’ll need to earn a high school diploma or equivalent. 

Next, you’ll want to get training. Even though postsecondary education isn’t required for most entry-level jobs, training will give you an advantage over other candidates, especially as you advance.

Training can take the form of a casino management certificate, which generally takes a year or less to complete. Another popular option is an associate degree, which will be more in-depth and take two years to complete. 

Programs typically cover casino operations, gaming law, security, hospitality, accounting and human resources. 

While training is beneficial, experience is what matters most in this line of work. You’ll need to work at least five to seven years in gambling establishments to become a casino manager. This could be as a dealer, pit boss, line supervisor or another role that helps you understand all aspects of gaming and managing.

It’s important that a casino manager be trained in all the table games, such as poker, blackjack and roulette. Learn everything you can on the gambling floor and you'll be one step ahead!

You will need a license from the state control board or gambling commission. Each state handles these qualifications differently. States also set minimum age requirements for working at a casino.

You will need to pass an extensive background check, pass a drug test and have no criminal record.

Depending on where you live, it may be useful to have a driver’s license because casino managers work odd hours. (Casinos tend to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.)

Being able to speak a second language can be helpful. 

Casino managers work on land, which may seem obvious, but also on water! They work primarily in hotels but also on riverboats and cruise ships. 
 

Yes, there’s opportunity in this line of work. Gambling service workers, including casino managers, should expect to see about 22,000 openings per year from 2021 to 2031, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

States benefit from the tax revenues that casinos generate. As more states legalize different forms of gambling, openings for casino managers and gaming managers are likely to increase even more.

Successful gaming managers tend to share these traits: 

• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Decisiveness
• Strong leadership abilities
• Good math skills (statistics, arithmetic)
• Problem-solving abilities
• Calm under pressure