Getting to Know Your Casino Personnel

Each casino has its own staffing organization, and it varies with the dictates of top management and the relative size of the casino. The format presented here is typical of most casinos, and will be sufficient to describe the typical jobs.

The head of the organization is the General Manager, who may be the owner himself or a business executive. He makes the major decisions about everything. However, his work usually involves more than the casino, as many casinos are extensions of Hotel-Restaurant complexes.

The casino is generally run by a Casino Manager. Often this person lives on the premises, or regularly has a room put at his disposal. Since he needs time to sleep, he is assisted by someone whose title is generally Shift Manager. Most casinos have from two to four people who hold this position.

The next group of people may be classified as supervisors. Their numbers and titles vary, depending upon casino size and policy. At the head of these supervisors is the Pit Boss. There is generally one pit boss per shift, per game (Blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat). A super casino, like the MGM Grand, my have more than one for each game. The pit boss sees to it that the racks are filled. He supervises the Floormen and acts as a Floorman.

The Outside Man is a spotter who looks for cheaters or an out-of-the-ordinary play. Occasionally, he mixes in the game, acting as a plainclothes detective. The counterpart of the outside man is the Eye-In-The-Sky, the man behind the two-way mirrors, whose principal job is to watch the dealer to see that he doesn't cheat or act with a confederate. He communicates with the pit boss by telephone. Whenever you see activity on the pit phones, beware; you may be getting close scrutinization. Some system players make it a habit to get up and leave whenever the pit phone rings. TV cameras are taking the place of ceiling catwalks, so the "sky" may turn out to be a monitoring room with several observers and TV equipment that can follow you around the casino and zoom in on the dirt under your fingernails.

The Floorman is the general overseer who watches dealers and players. He settles disputes, and his decision is usually final. These men usually are ex-dealers who have years of experience. It can be said, in general, that these gentlemen are usually not as smart as their typically smug attitudes would lead you to believe.

The Dealer is the key party in this staffing arrangement. He is the one responsible for keeping players well entertained at his table.

The Shill is a house player, usually employed to fill the tables, since many people are too timid to play the dealer alone. The shill plays by a fixed set of rules; he/she cannot hit a stiff (a hand that will probably break or go over twenty-one such as a hard 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16), must not double, and is usually not paid a bonus on Blackjack. The player can ask the shill to leave if he desires, but should be wary of this action since it would draw attention to the player. The shill, unlike stupid players, will usually show you his hand. If he doesn't then ask him to do so. They are paid about $20 per day, and as such are usually retirees or dealers who are breaking in.

The Cashier is a highly trusted employee who handles the exchange of money for chips, and vice versa. He or she also assists in the casting of checks and checking of credit records.

The Security Guard is generally there for your protection. It is unlikely you will ever be bothered by one of these people, unless you create a scene or refuse to leave, or if you are careless enough to get barred.

Most of the people who hold these positions have rather pleasant personalities. Their jobs entail dealing with the public and making patrons comfortable. Most of the upper level supervisors have worked their way up through the ranks of the casino organization. The rise in ranks above dealer level is based exclusively on personality. The overwhelming majority are not college educated and there is no school for such skills except hard experience in dealing with people.