CASINO EMPLOYMENT
Casino Employment in the USA – Part Two T
In part two of our report, Sharon Harris looks at the various issues affecting employment in the industry.
he job and housing markets - two vital economic benchmarks - share some obvious similarities. Real-time factors
infl uencing the highs and low often benefi t one side or the other.
Governmental regulations infl uence gaming properties’ job opportunities over “traditional” employment. Most licensed casino workers in positions of responsibility undergo an extensive investigation. Few other industries scrutinize their employees as thoroughly.
The Covid pandemic, which altered workplace dynamics and visitation, shuttered properties for months in 2020. Unfortunately, many hospitality and travel industry employment shortages still exist in 2024. Oxford Economics, an international economic advisory fi rm, revealed more than 680,000 direct casino employees were furloughed, dropping from approximately 2.4 million in 2019 to 1.7 million in 2020.
Travel has rebounded. More consumers are taking to the roads, skies and seas this year than in any year since 2019.
Oxford’s hotel hiring projections of 45,000 in 2024 still means a 225,000 loss from 2019. The fi rm predicts that only two states - Arkansas and Montana - will reach positive hiring numbers. Unfortunately, these staffi ng shortages have impacted daily operations. The American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AHLA) six-month survey ranged from late 2023 into early 2024. The results show that more than two-thirds of hotels have struggled to recruit suffi cient staff, despite offering record-high wages, fl exible working hours, increased benefi ts and other incentives to attract talent.
The 24-hour operational nature of the gaming industry will certainly feel this crunch. Aside from casino fl oors, hotels and their amenities are crucial components of their business models. The industry
36 JUNE 2024
promotes the “experience” of a casino guest from entering to exiting the front door.
Employees may reject casino jobs, including shift work hours and the physical nature of working in a casino or hotel space because of additional personal and health problems. Smoking remains a hugely contentious issue, especially in Nevada, New Jersey (facing the union’s legal action) and Missouri. High-quality potential employees may refuse a position, particularly at table games, where they face smoking customers. Ironically, these states all ban public indoor smoking, but exempt casinos. Disputes over the defi nition of public space, particularly in jurisdictions with designated smoking areas, continue.
State regulations may differ. Also, tribal sovereignty controls smoking policies. As of May 2024, the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation (ANR) lists at least 1,069 U.S. casinos and other gaming properties, including 149 Indian gaming operations, with 100% smokefree indoor air policies.
Technology has created numerous recruiting methods nationwide. Bally’s Corporation, based in Providence Rhode Island, owns and operates 15 casinos in 10 states, a horse track in Colorado, and a New York golf course. Each geographic region has its own culture and workforce. Bally Bet Sportsbook operates in seven online sports betting jurisdictions, with more planned openings.
Vice-President of Talent, Learning and Development Jennifer Reagan recognizes the historic “power of the brand” with consumers. She says, “We feel a responsibility to the iconic legacy of the Bally’s brand. We will respectfully take it into the future and continue to build on the high-quality experiences our guests and team members have come to expect,” says Reagan.
That begins with good employees who display a positive attitude. “We use competency- based behavioral interviewing to help us determine if a candidate fi ts Bally’s Purpose and Values. This type of interviewing allows us to focus less on technical skills and learn more about the experiences people have had that can help us to deliver on our brand promises.
We continually request feedback in many different forms. We want employees to feel a sense of belonging and to know the importance of their opinions,” Reagan states. The Bally’s workforce spans fi ve generations, dating from the 1930s to the early 2000s, each with its own experiences, work perspectives and world views.
Despite these differences, Reagan claims they must be sensitive and offer appropriate coaching and training. Bally’s goal is for team members to deliver on Bally’s promise of providing engaging experiences.
DraftKings, Inc. has made an indelible mark on American daily fantasy sports and sports betting. The young company, founded in Boston in 2012, wagering program covers fi ve major American sports leagues, plus multiple auxiliary athletic competitions. Following the May 2018 Supreme Court decision to allow sports betting, DraftKings launched its fi rst legal online sportsbook in New Jersey in August 2018. They have since opened sports betting operations in multiple other states. DraftKings, Inc. follows a similar philosophy to Bally’s. Communications Associate Nicolette Tetrault claims they aspire “to hire people who embody the behaviors that are key to our success as a company. We aim for all our employees to have a customer- centric mindset and be looking to drive results regardless of their role at DraftKings.”
Next month, part three discusses DEI and hiring.
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