A casino dealer, or croupier, is someone who runs and oversees games in a land-based casino. To become one, you need to have great people skills as well as in-depth knowledge of table games such as blackjack, poker and roulette. There are only 14 casinos throughout Australia, so being a dealer is quite a niche job.
That being said, becoming one isn’t impossible. The demand for real-world gambling is very high in Australia; after all, Aussies do love to gamble. While many prefer gambling online at some of the many Neosurf casinos in Australia, others prefer going to their nearest casino for an entertaining gaming session. So long as Aussies enjoy gambling in casinos, there will always be a need for casino dealers.
Key Requirements
What’s important to point out is that to become a dealer, you must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of the country. If you’re just staying for a few months as a tourist/visitor, you won’t qualify and won’t be able to get the job.
Dealers should also have a decent amount of experience in similar sorts of roles. There’s not usually a fixed amount of experience you need, but the more you have, the better. Being a dealer can be a challenging role with long hours. The work itself can be hard, especially if it’s a busy night and you’re constantly running a game.
Before starting the process of becoming a dealer, you should make sure this type of job is right for you. If you haven’t worked in a customer-facing role before, try doing so. Dealing with customers is a key part of being a casino dealer, so having some experience with this will certainly help.
How to Become a Casino Dealer Australia
So how do you go about becoming a casino dealer in Australia? The steps below should give you an idea of what you need to do.
Complete a Training Course
Lots of casinos throughout the country have courses to train new staff. These school training programmes will can help you boost your skills and teach you everything there is to know about being a casino dealer. Plus, they give you lots of valuable hands-on experience overseeing the games. Most in house training courses pay a wage, though it’s usually less than what a proper member of staff would be paid.
If you complete an in house training course, there’s a good chance the casino you’ve done the course at will hire you. This could happen soon or it could happen at a later date. It depends on staffing and if you manage to complete the other steps necessary to become a casino dealer.
Complete a Croupier School Course
Another way to learn the ropes is by completing a course at a croupier school. For a school to accept you, you have to pass a mathematics test and an interview. Once you’re enrolled, you’ll begin learning all the key components of being a dealer. You’ll learn mostly the same material that you would on a casino’s own in house course and will benefit from table specific training for certain games.
However, because croupier school courses aren’t tied to one particular casino, they’re a lot broader and more generalised. Complete one of these courses and you can take your skills to a dealer job in pretty much any Australian casino.
On the other hand, in house courses often teach you things specific to that casino. These include the rules of the venue and the processes involved with running the casino. Learning the material at one casino can make working at other casinos a bit harder.
Focus on Developing Your Casino Dealer Skills
While on your course, it’s a good idea to gain experience in as many games as you can. If there’s only one specific game you’re confident at running, you won’t stand out to hiring managers as much. However, if you can easily host a variety of games – blackjack, baccarat, roulette, poker, craps, for example – a manager will be more impressed.
It’s vital that you follow each game’s rules at all times. When you deal, you’re in charge and it’s up to you to make sure everything is running properly. Casinos are very serious when it comes to dealers sticking to the rules. It’s better to master one game than to be not so good at two games.
The best casino dealers can comfortably run all sorts of games. When you start your training, don’t try to learn everything at once. Focus on your chosen game and keep learning about others as you progress.
Gaining a Casino Employee Licence
After completing your course, the next step is to apply for a gambling licence. Some states and territories require you to have one of these if you’re going to work in a casino. If you don’t feel ready for employment just yet, take advantage of any additional training opportunities that are available in your area. To obtain a licence, complete the following steps:
- Head online and fill out the form.
- Submit the required documentation. This can include a credit report, a passport-sized photo and a certificate of police clearance.
- Pay the fee.
After completing the steps above, you’ll receive your licence. This confirms to employers that you’re capable of working as a dealer and will follow all the gambling rules. Official licenses typically run out after a number of years, so you’ll have to renew it when the time comes.
Apply for Jobs
Once you have your licence, there’s no better time to start applying for jobs. If you did a training course at a casino, apply to that particular venue first. When it comes to hiring new dealers, lots of gambling venues first look at candidates who have completed their own training courses. Having said that, doing a croupier school course shouldn’t put you at a disadvantage.
Good Luck
When you submit your application, good luck! Hopefully, you’ll soon be dealing and putting your table specific training into practice. As other dealers will tell you, being a dealer is a learning curve. You might start with in-depth knowledge, but there are always new things to pick up, whether it’s a new strategy for a specific game or new casino policies.
Summary
Dealing in a casino can be a rewarding profession. There’s a lot to learn to become a dealer and the work can be challenging, but the pay is generous. Plus, the role keeps you thinking and is great for those who like being around people. Anyone can learn to deal, provided they’re a legal resident and have the motivation and drive to master the rules of casino games. If this sounds appealing to you, start the process and become one of Australia’s newest dealers.
