'Right now there's probably as much, if not more, opportunity than there ever has been in the industry,' said Steve Griffiths, a consultant to six tribal casinos and owner of PJ Pockets Casino in Federal Way. Fourteen tribal casinos also operate in Washington they'll also hire from schools such as Blackjack Academy. They employ 10,000 workers, from card dealers to surveillance specialists. A host of new jobs for non-Indian casino workers has opened up.įrom zero house-banked card rooms in 1996 to 57 today, house-banked casinos are now one of Washington's fastest growing industries, according to the state Gambling Commission. Her mother is a card dealer so are her mother's friends.įor Detuncq and other students, casino schools promise a quick ticket to high incomes, flexible hours, good benefits and 'a job I actually enjoy,' said the Auburn resident.Ī cottage industry of dealer schools is growing in the Puget Sound region in the wake of state legislation passed three years ago that allowed nontribal, commercial casinos to run house-bank card games such as blackjack. 'Having twins is very expensive, and I just know this could be a good part-time job,' Detuncq said. She's hoping to use her casino-dealer training to leave her waitressing job, pay for an accounting degree and support her 2 1/2-year-old twin sons. At 21, she's affectionately known as the 'baby' of the 25-member class. Theresa Detuncq is two days into training at Blackjack Academy.
