How to become a Croupier in the UK

Becoming a croupier in the UK can be a rewarding, fulfilling career. If you have a passion for gambling, a presentable manner, and some fundamental qualifications, it’s possible to secure a training position to become a croupier at any age.

For the avoidance of doubt, you don’t need a degree or a college education to become a croupier. All you need to do is meet the entry requirements for a casino’s croupier training programme, and your career journey begins from there. But what does a croupier do, what does the training involve, and how long until you’re let loose on the casino floor for real?

The Role of the Croupier

The croupier is the hub of game activity on the casino floor. As such, you must be technically competent, and know the rules of each game inside out – as well as the various betting configurations, house rules and managing chips. For the first timer, there’s a lot to learn, and you’ll need to get to grips with these basics quickly if you’re hoping to progress to the casino floor.

Aside from that, you’ll also need softer skills, like an understanding of customer service, and how to interact with customers in your new role. There is also now demand for croupiers to present casino games on webcam for online play – this is a growing sector of the online gaming market called live casino, and is providing more opportunities than ever before to become a professional casino dealer.

Croupiers tend to do the bulk of their training on the job, and you’ll likely be given a combination of practical and technical training modules to get you up to speed. For those looking to train to be a croupier for online live casinos, there may some additional training required around managing games by live video link.

What Qualifications Do You Need?

There are no formal qualifications, although casinos are picky about who they hire. You need to be quick on your feet, and good with numbers – on the fly calculations are part of the job, so it helps if you can demonstrate some aptitude or understanding of arithmetic. Your focus and decision-making skills will also be in demand, as will strong communication skills.

Most employers will look for a minimum of 3-5 GCSEs including English and Maths, with on-the-job experience working with money or members of the public likely to stand you in good stead. The rest is up to you, to make an impression, secure an interview, and land a coveted place on a croupier training scheme.

How Long Will Training Take?

This depends entirely on the casino that’s hiring you, the specific role you’ll be expected to play at the casino, and how quickly you pick up the basics such as learning the rules of blackjack and how to play roulette. Generally, you can expect to be enrolled in three months of initial training, where you’ll get to know the fundamentals. From there, the on-the-job training period can last anywhere from a year to 18 months.

Once you’ve satisfied the casino that you’re a competent croupier, they’ll move you front of house and the real work begins.

Are There Opportunities for Promotion?

After serving your time as a dealer, there are a number of opportunities for career development. Initially, you can move on to become a dealer inspector or a pit boss, before graduating to becoming a casino manager – the opportunities are endless.

While becoming a dealer may seem to many like an entry level role in the sector, the gambling industry is an exciting, growing industry with plenty of opportunities for career progression and development. With good performance and the right attitude, there’s no reason why you can apply for opportunities for promotion in future.

Being a croupier is a fun job, and if you enjoy gambling personally and you’ve got the right attitude, this can be a fantastic career. Places on training schemes are highly competitive, so it pays to get the best application you can together ahead of applying. Being knowledgeable about casino games and what your role will entail will also help you make a good first impression.

Once you’ve completed your training, you’ll be able to work as a croupier in any casino – whether that’s in the UK, or anywhere else in the world.