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Gaming Dealer Occupational Licensing

License required in 29 states

85th most burdensome licensing requirements among moderate-income occupations

Average Fee for License:$147

What They Do

Gaming dealers, or card dealers, operate table games. They stand or sit behind a table and operate games of chance by dispensing the appropriate number of cards or blocks to players or operating other gaming equipment. They distribute winnings or collect players’ money or chips and may compare the house’s hand against players’ hands.

Gaming Dealer Licensing Overview

Twenty-nine states (more than half of states) require a licence to work as a Gaming Dealer. On average, these laws require $147 in fees, 0 days of education and no exams. Gaming Dealer Licenses have the 85th most burdensome requirements of the 102 occupations studied.

Where is a Gaming Dealer the most regulated?

Out of the 29 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Gaming Dealer has the highest burden in Virginia. Virginia requires $536 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.

Where is a Gaming Dealer the least regulated?

Out of the 29 states that require an occupational license, an occupational license for a Gaming Dealer has the lowest burden in Connecticut. Connecticut requires $0 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.

Where is a Gaming Dealer license the most expensive?

An occupational license for a Gaming Dealer costs the most in Virginia. Virginia requires $536 in fees, no exams, no experience, and no education.

Where is a Gaming Dealer license the least expensive?

An occupational license for a Gaming Dealer costs the least in Indiana, Ohio, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut where the license costs $0.

Where does it take the longest to obtain a Gaming Dealer license?

Out of the 29 states that require an occupational license, none impose any time lost due to required education/experience.

Where is it fastest to obtain a Gaming Dealer license?

An occupational license for a Gaming Dealer takes the least time to obtain in Virginia, Illinois, California, Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Maryland, Mississippi, Colorado, South Dakota, West Virginia, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Maine, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington, Florida, Montana, New York, New Jersey, Kansas, New Hampshire, Connecticut (0 days).

What states require exams for a Gaming Dealer license?

To obtain an occupational license for a Gaming Dealer

Twenty-eight states require a license to work as a gaming dealer. Every state except Connecticut requires a fee, which averages $174, and almost two-thirds of states (17) set a minimum age of either 18 or 21. No state requires any education or experience or exams. These requirements make the gaming dealer occupation the 87th most burdensome of the 102 occupations studied here. However, because gaming dealers are licensed by over half of states, the occupation ranks as the 64th most widely and onerously licensed.

States Ranked by Average Licensing Burden for 102 Lower-Income Occupations

More Burdensome Less Burdensome
Based on data released in November 2022

State Licensing Requirements

Select a chart to view:
Burden Rank State Occupations Licensed Fees Estimated Calendar Days Lost Education Experience Exams Minimum Grade Minimum Age
1 Virginia 72 $536 0 None None 0 0 21
2 Illinois 41 $278 0 None None 0 0 21
3 California 75 $250 0 None None 0 0 21
4 Arizona 68 $250 0 None None 0 0 18
5 Louisiana 77 $200 0 None None 0 0 21
5 Michigan 48 $200 0 None None 0 0 21
7 Maryland 58 $437 0 None None 0 0 0
8 Mississippi 65 $125 0 None None 0 0 21
9 Colorado 34 $115 0 None None 0 0 21
10 South Dakota 32 $111 0 None None 0 0 21
11 West Virginia 67 $100 0 None None 0 0 21
12 Missouri 33 $125 0 None None 0 0 18
13 Nevada 75 $85 0 None None 0 0 21
14 New Mexico 66 $75 0 None None 0 0 21
15 Maine 46 $299 0 None None 0 0 0
16 Iowa 71 $58 0 None None 0 0 18
17 Indiana 37 $0 0 None None 0 0 21
17 Ohio 40 $0 0 None None 0 0 21
19 Delaware 42 $265 0 None None 0 0 0
20 Massachusetts 50 $0 0 None None 0 0 18
20 Pennsylvania 50 $0 0 None None 0 0 18
22 Washington 76 $219 0 None None 0 0 0
23 Florida 55 $137 0 None None 0 0 0
24 Montana 32 $105 0 None None 0 0 0
24 New York 41 $105 0 None None 0 0 0
26 New Jersey 54 $95 0 None None 0 0 0
27 Kansas 35 $60 0 None None 0 0 0
28 New Hampshire 37 $40 0 None None 0 0 0
29 Connecticut 65 $0 0 None None 0 0 0

License to Work

The data and information here come from IJ’s License to Work report, released in November 2022.

View Report