Las Vegas Casinos Hold Job Fairs as Economy Gains Steam

Posted on: June 14, 2021, 02:33h. 

Last updated on: June 14, 2021, 03:20h.

Larry Henry Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Gaming Business, Legislation, Politics, Regulation.

Station Casinos is among resort companies holding job fairs this month in the Las Vegas Valley. As the economy recovers from a pandemic-related slump, casinos nationwide are looking for workers.

Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
Job applicants wait in line at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. The recently opened off-Strip Virgin Hotels is among resorts offering jobs to casino workers in Southern Nevada. (Image: Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Station Casinos is known for its off-Strip casinos catering to locals. The company’s job fairs begin this week on Tuesday at Boulder Station Hotel and Casino. On Wednesday, Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa is conducting a job fair, followed by another on Thursday at Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa and Casino. Each event is from 8 am-7 pm.

The company is seeking table-game dealers, housekeepers, and more. On its website, Station Casinos notes that employees have access to free company medical centers, free generic drugs, and free life insurance. Employees making less than $41,600 receive free dental and vision benefits. 

In 2020, the annual median pay for gaming workers nationwide was $27,050, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

However, as casinos nationwide look to fill job slots this year, some are offering higher wages, on-the-spot hiring opportunities, and comprehensive benefits packages. 

In Arkansas, for instance, Southland Casino Racing in West Memphis recently offered a $1,500 hiring bonus to dealers. The resort and dog track also increased the pay for salaried, non-tipped employees to $15 an hour.

This industry-wide hiring spree shows no sign of letting up. The job growth outlook for gambling service workers will accelerate “much faster than average” through 2029, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.

Casino Seeks Sexual Wellness Expert

Other casinos in the Las Vegas Valley are also holding job fairs. The off-Strip Arizona Charlie’s on South Decatur Boulevard is conducting a job fair on June 22 from 10 am–2 pm. Signing bonuses of $1,000 are available for some jobs.

Some companies connected to the casino industry in Las Vegas also are looking for workers. 

Pepper, a sexual wellness store with licensed sexologists on staff, is seeking employees. Among the job openings is one titled “key holder.” In addition to other duties, this job requires employees to “engage guests in conversations about sexual wellness.” 

Pepper is located at Resorts World Las Vegas. The $4.3 billion resort opens June 24 on the Strip where the Stardust Casino once stood.

Recovery Underway

At the March 2020 onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the tourism-related economy in Las Vegas fell into steep decline after Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) ordered casinos to close. He allowed them to reopen 11 weeks later in early June. However, with COVID-19 concerns still high nationwide, the Las Vegas economy remained flat. McCarran International Airport was down by millions of passengers during the pandemic.

Last year, several Las Vegas casinos closed their hotel towers because of low consumer demand. Unemployment in Las Vegas reached 34.2 percent, the highest in the nation for any city with a population of one million or more. In April, the jobless rate in Las Vegas was 9 percent, the second-highest in the US, behind only Los Angeles.

With the nationwide rollout of vaccines and stimulus checks, the economic outlook has begun to brighten in Southern Nevada. This spring, Las Vegas had two straight months of higher visitor totals. The number of passengers using the airport also began to improve.