Surveillance Officer
The gaming industry must adhere to strict state and government regulations. In addition, casinos deal with a great many customers and employees and a great deal of money. In order to keep everything legal, casinos have very extensive security and surveillance departments.
The security department makes a casino one of the safest places in the world to visit. This department ensures the safety and protection of customers, guests, and employees. Security officers are visible in the casino, and most are uniformed and readily identifiable. Members of the surveillance department work in an isolated area of the casino, apart from other employees and customers. Surveillance Officers, also called surveillance observers, are not usually seen by those outside the surveillance office and are not identifiable in the casino. The main responsibility of the surveillance department is to observe the activities in the gaming areas, count rooms, and cages.
The most visible part of surveillance are the closedcircuit video cameras located throughout the property. Surveillance Officers monitor these cameras to determine if there are any wrongdoings, illegal activities, or problems occurring in the casino. Many casinos build catwalks above the gaming tables, where surveillance can be conducted, as well as the observation of the action in the gaming areas via the closedcircuit screens. Surveillance Officers are responsible for extensive game protection. They must watch for cheating at all table games, including roulette, craps, blackjack, and baccarat. Individuals look for cheating by both customers and employees. For example, a customer may have a USD 50 bet down in blackjack, looks at the hand, sees it is not good, and tries to take back some chips when a dealer looks away. An employee may try to steal chips or money from the drop box, the betting area, or other locations.
Surveillance Officers also watch over the activity at the slots, Bingo, Keno, and all other gaming activities. Surveillance Officers must be alert for unusual situations. They must be on the lookout for the various ways people attempt to cheat. Individuals also watch for errors made by dealers in the ways games are dealt, played, or paid off.
Surveillance Officers monitor the activities of the cages and cashiers.
They look for improprieties like embezzlement or errors such as giving out incorrect amounts of money or chips.
Surveillance Officers must observe employees entering, working in, and leaving the count room. This is the area where the contents of drop boxes as well as the money from slots and cashiers are counted and accounted for. Other duties of casino Surveillance Officers include:
- Reporting illegal activities of employees and customers
- Initiating enforcement procedures
- Observing to assure all casino rules and state gaming regulations and controls are followed
Surveillance Officers working in casinos earn between USD 10.00 and USD 30.00 or more per hour.
Factors affecting earnings include the geographic location, size, and prestige of the specific casino, as well as the experience and responsibilities of the individual. Generally, Surveillance Officers working in larger, more prestigious casinos in the gaming capitals earn more than their counterparts working in other settings.
Employment prospects for Surveillance Officers in casinos are good.
The greatest number of opportunities exist in areas where there are a large number of casinos. Las Vegas, Reno, Laughlin, Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City, Biloxi, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Black Hawk, and Detroit offer the greatest number of job possibilities. Other employment settings include casino hotels in other areas of Nevada, Mississippi, New York, Louisiana, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Arizona, and California. Other regions hosting Indian gaming and land-based or riverboat gaming facilities offer additional opportunities. New casinos and casino hotels are constantly under construction. More casinos and casino hotels are also opening every year as areas legalize gambling. Surveillance Officers work various shifts and may be expected to work weekends and holidays.
With experience, Surveillance Officers may be promoted to supervisory jobs in the surveillance department. Individuals can also find similar jobs in larger, more prestigious casinos.
Most casinos and casino hotel prefer Surveillance Officers to have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Individuals must also be formally trained in at least one if not more casino games, usually at a dealers or gaming school. Additional training requirements vary from state to state. In most areas, Surveillance Officers must complete an approved surveillance school course of study. These are offered in gaming schools as well as in some community colleges, vo-tech, and trade schools in areas hosting gaming. In some areas, especially those new to gaming, casinos may offer surveillance training programs themselves.
Experience as a dealer is usually necessary for this position.
Casinos may prefer some supervisory experience, such as that of a floorperson. Surveillance Officers must usually undergo a complete background check. Surveillance Officers should be alert, responsible people with good judgment. They must have total understanding and knowledge of the rules of the casino and its games, as well as government regulations. Individuals must also be aware of cheating techniques and methods used by employees and casino customers. Individuals must be licensed by the specific state gaming authority in which they work.
Surveillance Officers must be licensed by the specific state in which they work. This is done through a state gaming authority or gaming commission. Before being hired, individuals may also have to undergo a background check.
Those interested in learning more about careers in this field should contact gaming institutes, academies, and schools, as well as casino human resources departments.
Job Entry Tips
1. Prior experience in surveillance, police work, or security may be helpful.
2. Jobs may be advertised in the classified sections of newspapers in areas hosting gaming. Look under classifications such as “Casinos/Gaming,” “Casino/Hotel Opportunities,” “Casino Surveillance,” “Gaming Surveillance,” “Surveillance Officer/Gaming,” or “Surveillance Observer.”
3. Openings are often advertised on the Internet. They may be located via the home pages of casino hotels. They may also be found by doing a search of‑“Casino,” “Casino Hotel,” or “Gaming Job Opportunities.”
4. Make sure you are trained in as many table games as possible, making you more marketable.