Many people believe that working at a casino is usually a low-paying job, and most money comes from tips.
Well, that is true only to some extent.
We’ve analyzed the iGaming job market in Canada and the US and identified the most lucrative career opportunities related to the casino industry. We considered the annual salary and the difficulty level to find jobs that offer the best work-payment ratio.
The results were different from what we expected. That’s because the gambling industry is rapidly evolving, creating demand for more technology and data analysis jobs that didn’t exist two decades ago.
Without further ado, let’s explore nine of the highest paying gambling jobs and understand why working for the casino is a great career choice:
Why you should work for the casino
Working for the casino can be lucrative, even if you’re in an entry-level position. For instance, if you get hired as a croupier, you will start earning a decent amount of tips if you’re dedicated enough and develop your communication skills.
Still, there is more to gambling careers than just making money from tips.
Enter the iGaming market.
Thanks to the technological wave that struck the entire world at the end of the last century, new job opportunities for gambling enthusiasts were created.
Nowadays,most gamblers prefer playing online, and the demand for IT jobs has skyrocketed. New opportunities are available for technical individuals who want to leverage their computer skills and help operators develop unique experiences for their player base.
Needless to say that land-based casinos also need well-trained individuals that can manage their operations or deal with complex issues like financial modelling, audit or security.
The gambling industry is expanding year on year, so your job will not go away soon, which is reassuring most employees in the sector.
Now it’s time to move on to the top 9 casino jobs you can apply for today:
1. Casino manager
Average salary: C$86,926/year
The casino manager is responsible for overseeing the activities of the gambling establishment during the shift. He coordinates with the other departments to ensure maximum customer satisfaction and that all operations are working as intended.
The casino manager is also responsible for complying with the federal gambling regulations and maintains a visual presence on the floor throughout the day. To apply for this job, you need to have a high school diploma and at least five years of experience in the gambling industry (supervisory experience is a plus).
The key responsibilities of a casino shift manager are:
- Ensuring that the casino’s milestones are met within the approved budget range;
- Enforcing corrective action to visitors that attempt cheating;
- Ensuring that all employees are doing their job right.
2. Director of operations
Average salary: C$103,827/year
The director of operations has a lot of responsibilities within the gambling establishment. Their responsibilities include managing the live dealers, organizing events (like tournaments) and overseeing the casino’s operation to ensure that the strategy is working as expected.
To apply for this job, you need around ten years of finance experience and a bachelor’s degree in economic studies. The high requirements for this position may seem unachievable for many. Still,if you think of the extreme responsibility in your hands, it makes total sense why an inexperienced individual is not suitable for the job.
The responsibilities of a director of operations include:
- Supervising all the departments of the casino;
- Create business strategies for maximum profitability;
- Analyze new market opportunities and implement them in the business.
3. Web developer
Average Salary: C$89.357/year
Web developers are responsible for creating the backbone of the casino platform. Formalcomputer science education is required for getting a job as a web developer. Still, you can also get hired if you have a decent portfolio under your belt.
As a developer, you need to have an in-depth understanding of web programming languages like Javascript and PHP and design databases using MySQL. The job can get highly complex, especially if your employer requires you to develop in-house software for customer relationship management.
The main tasks of a web developer include:
- Testing and documenting the software used for website creation;
- Collaborative work with designers and content creators;
- Write code to generate web pages, databases or improve the server capabilities;
- Debug, write and modify the site’s feature to deliver a quality user experience.
4. Affiliate manager for iGaming websites
Average salary: C$65,200/year + commissions
Affiliate managers are not working for one casino operator. Instead, they are part of an extensive affiliate network responsible for promoting online gambling platforms. In a nutshell, your job as an affiliate manager is to negotiate with online casinos. For example, you can ask the operator to offer you C$150 for each client that deposits on their site using your affiliate link.
Now, you might be wondering why this practice is so common among online casinos since they generally have substantial marketing budgets.
Well, gambling sites require targeted traffic to be profitable. Since the gambling advertising market is highly regulated, it is hard to run ads in most countries.
Operators have found a loophole that allows them to promote their product by leveraging the traffic of an affiliate platform that targets gamers in exchange for a commission. Gaming regulators are not against this practice, as long as the website is operated by casino experts established as an authority in the field.
The main attributions of an iGaming affiliate manager are:
- Research and prospect all the possible online casinos in your target market;
- Outreach to other affiliate managers responsible for casinos and negotiate deals;
- Leverage your site’s traffic to maximize profitability by demanding higher commissions.
5. Game designer
Average Salary: C$79,689/year
Your job as a video game designer is to create unique casino games using programming languages and various development platforms like Unity or Unreal Engine. Slot machines don’t seem too complex on the outside, but the creation process is challenging.
As a game designer, you need to create a concept adhering to the industry standards while challenging the statusquo by creating unique features that set your game apart from the rest. Suppose you want to become a casino game dev. In that case, you need to have computer graphics and programming skills, which generally require a college education (although it can be self-learned).
Video game designer tasks:
- Create concepts and present them to the stakeholders;
- Develop user-friendly interfaces and high-quality graphics;
- Think of game mechanics, sound effects, and new features that users will enjoy.
6. SEO Specialist
Average Salary: C$56,336/year
As a Search Engine Optimization(SEO) specialist, your job is to develop a complex SEO strategy for the casino, which will help the website rank on the first page of Google when users search for specific keywords.The SEO industry requires continuous learning since the search algorithm is constantly improving, and changes need to be implemented as soon as a Google update rolls out.
The primary responsibilities of a casino SEO specialist are:
- Implement a strategy with clear goals;
- Analyze the results and create reports of the SEO campaigns;
- Optimize content and run a competitive analysis of the market;
- Develop a content calendar and establish the casino as an industry authority.
Final thoughts
Now that you have a better understanding of the highest-paying jobs in the gambling industry, it’s time to consider which one suits your skillset and personal preferences.
Can’t find any job that sounds good to you?
We have you covered with a complete list of casino jobs, where you can find more opportunities and apply for an interview.
Happy job hunting!
