It's as old as the 52-card deck and as contemporary as the local casino in so many cities across the U.S. today. It is a game of luck, a national pastime, and for poker dealers across America, an opportunity like none other.
Some will tell you a career as a qualified poker dealer is not glamorous; in fact, it's hard work. However, a well-rounded poker dealer - someone with multiple-game skills - can find a lot of opportunity to apply their trade in many areas of the country. It's a matter of getting the right education and work experience to jump-start your career.
If you are considering a career as a qualified poker dealer, it's important to know what is involved in becoming a professional poker dealer and the steps you can take to make your dream come true.
Poker Dealer Basics
The resurgence and legitimization of poker as a source of enjoyment and income has moved it from the back room to the living room and sparked an increased need in the number of qualified poker dealers, not just for casinos in major cities like Las Vegas and Atlantic City, but for cruise ships, Indian casinos and tournament play across the nation. But it takes more than just the knowledge of poker playing to be a qualified poker dealer.
Most experts will tell you that being a professional poker dealer is not just about the technical knowledge, though that clearly is a large part of the qualifications. Poker dealers need a broad proficiency in dealing all poker-style games - Omaha, Stud, Razz, Draw Poker as well as the more popular Texas Hold Em - as well as a good understanding of gaming objectives, terminology, policies and procedures. And one of the best ways to gain a solid understanding of the world of poker and obtain your license as a qualified poker dealer is to attend poker school. You'll need a high school diploma or a GED equivalent.
Scattered throughout the nation, gaming schools provide students with a clear understanding of poker basics such as poker hands, shuffling and cutting the cards, as well as limits, antes, buy-ins and forced bets. In addition, students are generally taught customer service basics such as handling customer disputes and helping new players who join the table learn the game. Along with gaining an understanding of these poker basics, students are provided with hands-on practice in dealing the cards in order to master each poker game.
When considering which gaming school is right for you, location may be of primary concern, especially depending on where in the country you plan to work. However, in general, poker dealer training courses can run from four to ten weeks depending on the school and how many hours and days per week you attend. In addition attendance at one of these schools can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. In most cases at the end of your training you will receive a certificate of completion along with help with interviewing techniques (which usually involves an audition) and job placement.
Of course, there are those who will tell you that attending a gaming school is not essential to becoming a qualified poker dealer. And this is true. There are home-based study courses available, interactive training via the Internet and independent study through poker books. Whether these are as effective (and as well-accepted) as classroom training is difficult to tell.
In addition to studying and applying poker dealing techniques, qualified poker dealers need more. They need an image. This includes a clean and neat appearance which communicates not only professionalism, but confidence. This is especially true for poker dealers who want to take on the high-stakes world of tournaments like the World Poker Tour (WPT) and the World Series of Poker (WSOP).
While earnings for a qualified poker dealer will vary according to several factors, it usually depends a lot on the number of hours you work, your base hourly rate (which is generally minimum wage), the stakes at the table and the amount of your tips. While you are generally required to report some part of your tips to the government, top poker dealers may still be able to realize earnings as high as $50,000 per year. It is important to keep in mind, too, that many casinos operate long hours, so working conditions typically include the ability to work late nights and weekends.
Finally, before ever stepping foot inside a gaming room, qualified poker dealers are required to have a state license which typically involves a gaming board application, a licensing fee and fingerprints along with a background check. Licensing can take three or four months to complete and generally requires you to renew it every few years.
Beyond Dealing Poker
Becoming a licensed poker dealer is not the end of the line. If you are interested in taking your status as a qualified poker dealer to other levels in your career, once you have gained the requisite education and experience you may decide to look at moving up the gaming ladder.
You might consider positions such as a Table Games Floor Supervisor where you can expand your area of expertise and take on the role of monitoring and controlling an area of the pit consisting of several table games or the position of Table Games Manager where you have the opportunity to direct, plan, and oversee all table games and poker functions to ensure the efficiency and profitability of the operation.
However, growing your career doesn't necessarily mean stepping outside your area of interest. If you prefer to focus on poker exclusively, you could aspire to be a Poker Room Manager where you would be responsible for overseeing all the operations of the poker room or you might want to move into tournament play as a Tournament Dealer, Tournament Dealer Coordinator or Tournament Director. You might even consider using your expertise to write about poker for publications such as "Card Player" or "Poker Digest."
Depending on where your career takes you, you may be asked for a four-year college degree to advance to certain level positions with some of the larger name casinos or tournaments. However, many of these positions only require several years of gaming experience and the willingness to learn and grow.
Conclusion
A career as a qualified poker dealer not only offers a wide range of future career opportunities, it provides those interested in the world of poker and gaming with a chance to participate without the high financial risk of playing. Entry into the field requires at least a high school level education along with training as a poker dealer preferably from a reputable school of gaming. Qualified poker dealers are required to have a state license which typically involves a gaming board application, fee, fingerprints and a background check.
Qualified poker dealers must be flexible when it comes to work hours and days; however, they can find it rewarding if they are fortunate enough to deal on a high-stakes table. And once they have mastered their craft there are opportunities to advance their career into other areas such as tournament play and management positions through further education and training.
In addition, because there are casinos and poker rooms all around the United States, there is flexibility with regard to where you can live.
Recommendation
Only you can decide if a career as a qualified, licensed poker dealer is right for you. However, if you enjoy the game of poker and want an interesting and challenging career that puts you in regular contact with people - sometimes even celebrities and high-profile players- becoming a professional poker dealer could be right for you.
The best way to find out is to ask around. Talk to those already in the know - current and past dealers, table supervisors, and poker instructors - to hear what they have to say about becoming a qualified poker dealer and what advice they would give. Conduct online research into training courses in your area to find out the cost and time commitment. Check out casino job websites to see who is hiring and what qualifications they require. Ask yourself if you could see this as a career ten years from now.
If you want more than a nine-to-five desk job, enjoy socializing with others, like the idea of flexible work hours and work days, and want a career that can grow and change as you do, then becoming a qualified poker dealer might just be the right move for you.
Bibliography
"Poker," Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2008
http://encarta.msn.com 1997-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
"Poker Dealers," Los Angeles Times, Susan W. Miller, MA, http://www.latimes.com/classified/jobs/counselor/200 5/la-counselor-052005,0,116224.htmlstory, May 20, 2005.
"So, You Want to be a Dealer at the WSOP," GamblingPlanet.org, http://www.gamblingplanet.org/editorial31207, March 9, 2007.