While slots undoubtedly dominate the interactive gaming landscape, live casino games have continuously gained traction in recent years, becoming substantially responsible for this sphere’s unprecedented growth. They first popped up on the Web in 2003 when Playtech tested this technology via a soft-launched of an Asia-oriented dealer studio. Microgaming followed suit a few years later, and Evolution, the world’s current top streaming game brand, also debuted at this time (2006). However, due to the tech limitations of the day, this genre did not take off until the mid-2010s rolled around.
Today, virtually every gambling platform has a live casino section that is not too difficult to play. And these get packed with dozens of tables from one or multiple game suppliers. The variety/wide availability of these options has piqued many players’ interest in getting into this side of the industry, meaning working for streaming product providers as dealers/presenters.
That should be no surprise, given that ZipRecruiter lists positions in this field with annual salaries as high as $101,000. Though, it also has ads for ones with yearly wages as low as $13,000, with the average range falling between $29,000 and $59,000.
In the subheadings below, we explain how one can become an online casino dealer, what skills are essential for this profession, and the top benefits and drawbacks it offers.
Famous Live Casino Providers
Without argument, Evolution is the sector’s top live casino dog. It now has over five thousand employees across offices and studios in various European countries and US states. Shares for its parent entity, Evolution Gaming Group AB, can be purchased on the Stockholm stock exchange Nasdaq, and the company’s headquarters are also in Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden.
Viable Playtech contenders include the Isle of Man’s Playtech and Malta’s Pragmatic Play Live. These two brands have the financial capabilities to offer games of similar quality to Evolution’s ones.
Other reputable companies operating in the streaming dealer landscape are Fresh Deck Studios, Visionary iGaming, Atmosfera, LuckyStreak, Absolute Live Gaming, Ezugi (functioning under Evolution), Vivo Gaming, BetTV, Provision Gaming, and OneTouch.
Live in a Country with Live Dealer Studios
Unfortunately, games of chance enthusiasts cannot remotely work for a live casino company. They must reside and have a work permit in a territory with streaming game studios. One may think such facilities can be commonly found in most regions, but that is not accurate. The majority of live casinos are in Latvia, Malta, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Ireland, Belgium, Moldova, Romania, Spain, Slovenia, Serbia, Canada, and the US. Concerning the latter, such facilities operate only in New Jersey, Michigan, and from tribal land. The Foxwoods Resort Casino, run by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, is a gaming complex on a reservation in Ledyard, Connecticut, that in 2018 became the first US-based in-casino table operator to provide its services to players outside the US.
Minimum Requirements
In truth, there are not many conditions other than being able to speak English and being under a specific age limit one must fulfill to join the ranks of a provider’s dealer fleet. There is an age discrimination factor when it comes to online table gaming, as operators know that most of their player base are males in their twenties or thirties. So they chiefly look to hire attractive women below thirty to deal cards or operate a roulette wheel.
Such an age/gender bias is not present in the land-based sphere. So, those over thirty looking to work for one of the streaming game providers mentioned above would be wise to seek employment elsewhere. People fluent in English and comfortable in front of a camera can feel free to apply for a live dealer position, even if they have no casino competency. Most providers supply on-the-job training.
Beneficial Traits
Boasting some charisma and a friendly demeanor are super positive attributes that live casino companies love. That is especially true these days due to the growing expansion of the game show genre, which requires engaging presenters to run these gambling products that often pair RNG and physical gameplay.
Naturally, experience in this field is a plus, as is demonstrated fast-counting expertise. These are the essential skills required for casino dealers, on top of schedule flexibility.
Pros & Cons of the Profession
Live dealers get to partake in some of the thrills that gambling offers without betting any money. Furthermore, the studio environment is an incredibly interactive and social place to work, packed with dozens of people at all times.
Yes, the dealer pay in some countries can be good, but one of the reasons most providers have studios in less-developed regions is on account of the cheap workforce they offer. Note that online casinos run 24/7, so this is not the type of employment for those looking for a 9-5 gig, as elasticity regarding working different shifts is a must in the live gaming sector.
