A six-week training course to become a dealer at Atlantic City casinos begins on April 1, and the Atlantic County Workforce Development Board (WDB) is covering the cost of enrollment for anybody looking to sign up.
The average salary for dealers at Atlantic City casinos is around $43,000 a year, according to Glassdoor.
The training sessions continue through mid-May and will take place Monday through Friday. All classes are at the Atlantic City One-Stop Career Center in Pleasantville, about 15 minutes from most AC casinos.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on March 31 with a correction of the average salary for casino dealers in Atlantic City.
Atlantic City casino dealer licensing costs will be waived
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act is making the event possible. The federal program was designed to help job seekers, workers and businesses obtain training, tuition and career services.
Part of the WDB’s intent with the training is to allow students to become dealers without financial restraints. In that light, it will cover the $100 licensing fee, required by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement for all new casino hires.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to learn new skills, receive proper training, and obtain a job with just six weeks investment of time. And it’s all for free,” said Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson. “These new dealers could be on casino floors before Memorial Day weekend.”
Register for AC dealer training in person or by phone
Atlantic City casinos have struggled to maintain a full workforce since reopening in 2021, leaving abundant opportunities for pursuing a career as a dealer.
If you want to sign up for the course, visit the Atlantic City One-Stop Career Center in person. It’s open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday or call 609-485-0052.
The WDB also said future classes are in the works.
The elephant in the room for Atlantic City Casinos: smoking
One of the hottest topics surrounding Atlantic City casinos is its workers’ attempts to ban smoking on the gaming floor. Under current law, up to 25% of a casino’s floor may allow smoking.
Support continues to build alongside Casino Employees Against Smoking’s Effects (C.E.A.S.E.), including from Gov. Phil Murphy and several lawmakers, leaving hope that clean air will soon become the norm in AC’s nine casinos.
A small minority of labor union employees, state and local associations and Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. oppose the ban, citing potential lost revenue and wages.
Meanwhile, an independent report from last year compared casinos’ bottom lines in states where smoking bans remained intact after COVID-19, including Michigan, Pennsylvania and multiple New England states. These states were equally profitable to those that reinstated smoking.
Furthermore, a few Michigan and Pennsylvania casinos have re-allowed smoking since the study was conducted. The PA casinos showed no change in revenue since letting bettors smoke again.
