Portsmouth casino offers classes for aspiring card dealers, game operators
Roland Browne won a metal case filled with poker chips and Cherlyn Mejia walked away with a box of jumbo playing cards.
It might have been a good sign for the two who attended the Dealer Academy Day at Rivers Casino Portsmouth on June 8.
The 24/7 casino held three information sessions throughout the day to provide details on what steps attendees should take to become a dealer. Participants had a chance to hear from dealers about their jobs and to play their hand at the blackjack table.
Tom Snead, a former delivery driver, made the career switch a year ago when the casino opened. He said he enjoyed his previous job, but there was something missing.
“I had very little interaction with people,” he said. “It wasn’t fun or interesting and there was nowhere to grow.”
Now, Snead said he enjoys the atmosphere and the people at the casino.
“It’s just you, the table and the players,” he said.
Browne, who lives in Portsmouth, said he decided to come out since he retired recently from Hormel Foods after 42 years as a material manager. Having tried his hand at roulette in Las Vegas, Browne said he wanted to learn more about the world of gaming in Hampton Roads.
For Mejia, it’s all about a change of pace. The 25-year-old moved to Chesapeake from New York last fall and works in a call center.
“I come here sometimes with my friends and figured this would be a pretty cool place to work,” she said. “It’s fun, lively and upbeat.”
Michael Brian of Virginia Beach was also curious about the life of a dealer after owning a residential tree service company for the past three decades.
“I’ve worked outside for the past 30 years,” he said. “I’m ready to find another source of income.”
Well-versed on the gambling scene from his girlfriend coupled with his own time spent in casinos, Brian said he is seriously considering the career switch.
The next step to becoming a dealer is to sign up for the dealer academy at Tidewater Community College. The free six- to eight-week class runs for three-hour sessions Monday through Thursday in both the morning and the afternoon.
“While you’re in class, you’re going to learn ‘Dealer 101’ on how to be a dealer, all our rules, policies and procedures,” said Eric Lowe, table game shift manager. “You’ll learn blackjack and what we call our ‘carnie’ games: three-card poker, four-card poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.”
Each student undergoes a one-on-one live audition at the completion of the class to assure their readiness to be out on the floor and apply for a gaming license.
Karl Waitner, vice president of hospitality, said the casino currently has 200 dealers and would like to hire more to get to 350.
Full- and part-time positions are available and starting base pay is $6.50 per hour plus tips. Waitner said dealers usually average between $22 to $28 per hour.
“We just want to make sure we have enough dealers to man all the tables as needed and our guests can have the games they want,” he said. “We get to be the engineers of other people’s good time.”
Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@insidebiz.com
