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Sunday, May 16, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 A.M.
Job Market By Cal Blethen
That was about six years ago. Brown, now a pit boss at the Grand Central Casino in Tukwila, has indeed found his calling. He likes the fast pace, dealing with a large variety of people and overseeing card games. Though responsibilities vary among casinos, pit bosses generally watch over the table games. They move among tables, making sure games are played correctly, tracking how different players are doing, and assisting players when they don't understand how to play or need help interpreting rules. What pit bosses are not, Brown says, is as aggressive as their title suggests. "We have fun," Brown said. "The biggest misconception people have is that we're angry all the time — that we're just worried about (keeping track of) the money." With demand for gaming showing no sign of waning, the nation's casino industry is forecast to grow faster than the overall economy until at least 2012, reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Locally, the employment picture appears somewhat mixed. "I'm seeing a flattening in the (local employment) market," said Rep. John McCoy, D-Marysville, general manager of the Quil Ceda Village (home of the Tulalip Casino). McCoy cited a number of concerns, including the negative effect a smoking ban in Pierce County has had on the number of visitors to casinos, and a general decrease in spending locally. "The disposable income that was available is very finite now," McCoy said. The amount of money coming into casinos "isn't as big as it used to be, and that's basically because of the economy." On the other hand, "We're seeing a lot more casinos than we used to," said Susan Arland, spokeswoman for the Washington State Gambling Commission. The combined net revenues at tribal and nontribal casinos have increased each year since 1997, when changes in state law allowed nontribal casinos in Washington. While the number of casinos operating has stabilized in the past few years — some closing, some others opening — employment has increased. Joyce Duval, school director and corporate owner of Casino Dealer School North, said, "Tribes expanded too fast and had to lay off people. But the little (nontribal) clubs just keep opening and doing well. "In about the last 90 days there have been four clubs that opened," said Duval, whose Edmonds school trains would-be dealers in table games and poker. "I'm a small school and I've placed at least 30 people in the last six months. I placed five last week. Within 30 days of their graduation our graduates are placed." Potential for advancement
Casino jobs are attractive to many because they offer the potential for greater income and advancement than many other jobs requiring a similarly modest amount of training. Private schools train dealers in about 100-150 hours, while tribal casinos generally provide their own training. Wages for pit bosses, also known as floor supervisors, are difficult to calculate because job responsibilities vary by casino, but the bureau reports that the median annual salary was just over $39,000 in 2002. That figure does not include tips. At nontribal casinos in Washington, supervisors are not legally allowed to accept tips, though dealers can. This can vary around the country, and at tribal casinos. Dealers typically earn minimum wage, but can make a lot more in tips, school director Duval said; for some, tips brings wages to "$20, $22 an hour in winter, when business really is rolling." "It varies," Duval said. "If you're a good-looking young woman, you'll make a ton of money. If you're a fat old man, you're going to average way less, especially if you're not charming." Duval said floor-supervisor jobs are the normal route to advancement. "Once you've done your time (as a floor supervisor), you can go into shift management and higher management — then you can get the money." Benefits vary, according to Duval. Most establishments offer hospitalization; some offer retirement plans. Outgoing attitude helps
Tribal casinos give tribal members preference for jobs, said McCoy, the Quil Ceda general manager. But many nontribal members are hired, and often make up the majority of workers. Applicants generally are required to be outgoing and friendly, have the ability to coordinate responsibilities and exercise good decision-making. "It's definitely not for the shy," said Brown, the Grand Central Casino pit boss. "You have to be outgoing and be able to talk with people. I love it. ... I'm a people person." On the downside, often pit bosses must stand for long periods of time and work in smoke-filled rooms. Also, gaming-related workers are required to be licensed by the states in which they work. Washington state fees vary, from $175-$295 for an initial license to $84-146 for yearly renewal. Licensing basically consists of a background check, said Arland, the state gambling commission spokeswoman. "Certain crimes — say, convictions for professional gambling or theft — raise flags," Arland said. "There's a lot of cash in the casino business. If we keep those people out, it keeps the industry clean." Hired within weeks
Within a couple of years, he moved his way up to pit boss, which he has been doing on and off for more than four years. Brown said he moved from Las Vegas to Washington because he prefers the more laid-back environment of the casinos here. Many casinos allow their employees to play games, as long as they're not on the clock or in uniform. But these days, Brown said, he's lost the taste. He still enjoys watching games such as blackjack and poker, but said he doesn't feel the drive to play much anymore. "Seeing gambling all day," he said, "pretty much curbs your appetite for it." Cal Blethen: 206-464-8223 or cblethen@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company
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