AT RINGMASTER CASINO. Huge selection of slots and table games. Daily free spin to try your favorite games. Safe and secure gaming at all times. A real Vegas experience for free. New casino games every month. A great way to practice your skills. Huge selection of slots and table games. Daily free spin to try your favorite games. The Graduate Certificate in Gaming Management is a 15-credit program designed to bring hospitality executives together to learn the latest gaming management and leadership techniques in an executive format, via the Internet and other media. Want to make the world a better place? You don’t necessarily have to be a humanitarian aid worker to have a positive impact. Sometimes you just have to make people’s lives ever so slightly more manageable. Hospitality management jobs let you do just that—and they pay well too. With over 16 million workers in the hospitality sector, the industry provides plenty of opportunity for employment. Management: Running the tables. A host of other casino personnel contribute to the success of the house. Modern casino hosts best resemble a successful hotel concierge: They’re at your service. A typical casino host is an affable and professional employee whose mission is to serve your every need.

Client and Industry Challenges

Members of the casino and gaming industry regularly face legal challenges and opportunities, including navigating the regulatory and permitting process; developing new projects; negotiating complex transactions; addressing labor and employment concerns; protecting, enforcing and defending intellectual property; managing tax and real estate issues; and handling potential litigation or disputes with affiliated businesses or patrons. Gaming businesses need counsel who can react quickly, economically and effectively to address virtually any legal situation that arises.

Snell & Wilmer’s gaming law services include representation on substantive legal and regulatory gaming issues on a national basis. Our gaming lawyer team understands how to help clients navigate the complex regulatory and legal environments that confront businesses in the gaming industry.

Clients We Serve

Snell & Wilmer’s gaming attorneys have represented casinos and gaming organizations, resorts and recreational businesses, gaming vendors and others doing business on Indian lands, development companies, management firms and financers.

Why Clients Select Us

Breadth and Depth: Our clients benefit from our full-service approach and industry experience. Whether we are involved in the development, purchase, sale, tax or management of gaming operations, our casino and gaming attorneys understand the legal issues that arise and guide our clients to address them proactively and strategically.

Experience

Our gaming lawyer team has experience with a broad range of business and legal concerns that affect the gaming industry. We have assisted gaming clients with various legal issues in the areas of general licensing and regulation, Indian law, online gaming, intellectual property, privacy and data protection, lobbying and legislative affairs, real estate and finance, construction, litigation, immigration, labor and employment, and government and internal investigations. Specific examples of our gaming industry experience and services include:

Regulatory

Drafted gaming ordinances and regulations
Drafted and negotiated of gaming management contracts and collateral documents
Represented clients before state and tribal gaming agencies on regulatory, licensing, background investigations and disciplinary matters
Represented client in matters involving online gaming

Native American Affairs

Obtained approval for gaming management contracts and collateral documents from the National Indian Gaming Commission and/or the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Obtained 'declination' letters from the National Indian Gaming Commission on agreements not constituting management contracts
Negotiated of Tribal-State Compacts
Represented on land-into-trust acquisitions for gaming and non-gaming purposes.
Assisted clients in federal recognition process for Indian tribes
Prepared Classification opinions (Class II vs. Class III) for gaming devices and other games to be offered by tribal gaming operations
Represented client in leasing of land, easements, rights-of-way, and similar land-use issues in Indian County
Represented client with issues relating to the National Environmental Policy Act, water rights, natural resources, Endangered Species Act and related environmental issues pertaining to tribal gaming operations
Negotiated Intergovernmental Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding for providing municipal services (e.g., water, sewer, fire, EMT, police) in support of tribal gaming operations

Intellectual Property

Served as counsel to several major Las Vegas casino resorts and hotels regarding trademark and copyright infringement (both enforcement and defense) and intellectual property/technology asset transfer as part of an acquisition, and related licensing aspects
Represented gaming device companies in enforcing patents for slot machines and other gaming systems
Defended gaming companies in various trademark and patent infringement matters
Represented three of the largest gaming device manufacturers in the world on licensing matters related to tribal gaming operations
Represented gaming company in connection with investigating and prosecuting counterfeiting claims, including seeking a temporary restraining order, permanent injunction and damages against the counterfeiter

Privacy and Data Protection

Assisted an international gaming technology organization in identifying and responding to a data breach incident involving the records of members of a casino’s membership rewards program

Lobbying and Legislative Affairs

Drafting proposed legislation, ruling requests, formal position papers and technical comments relating to the gaming industry
Informing clients on legislative and regulatory developments on gaming issues
Representing gaming clients called to testify before legislative committees and file comments on behalf of our clients in ongoing government rule-making proceedings

Real Estate and Finance

Represented a casino and hotel operating company for two Las Vegas properties, each located on multiple adjacent ground leased parcels, to restructure and reduce ground lease payments to reflect reduced hotel/casino revenue due to economic recession and significantly deflated fair market value of ground leased parcels
Served as local counsel for a mixed-use Las Vegas project including two condominium hotel towers, a casino and significant retail space; assisted with all aspects of development including HUD registration and condominium documents, reciprocal easement agreements, construction financing and development of rental program
Represented national lender on multi-million dollar sale of gaming loan portfolio and refinancing of existing casino revenue secured loan
Represented Native American gaming enterprise in master planning, leasing, and developing their casino, resort, and commercial retail projects
Represented casino developers in putting land into trust and developing gaming and resort-related facilities
Represented national lender and developer in documenting loans, leases and easements governed under Native American law
Represented developer in master planning and leasing 640-acre industrial park on Indian lands
Represented vacation ownership and hotel operator in developing projects on Indian lands
Represented enterprise in master planning 9,000 acres of land, expanding the current airport and developing a resort and other facilities
Represented Native American gaming enterprise in master planning, leasing, and developing their casino, resort and commercial retail projects
Drafted management agreement of Native American community spa and report property south of Phoenix, Arizona

Construction

Provided counsel to a hospitality corporation in various aspects of casino business, including construction financing and the expansion and renovation of its Laughlin, Las Vegas and Atlantic City properties, as well as the purchase of river boat gambling operations
Represented gaming enterprises in documenting their design and construction form contracts

Litigation

Defended gaming clients in federal and state courts, on issues involving surrounding sovereign immunity, fee-to-trust applications, Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, Indian Reorganization Act and compact interpretation/ratification
Defended a Las Vegas Strip resort property in multiple plaintiff claims arising out of legionella outbreaks and has provided counsel to resorts on the handling of such cases and remediation efforts
Represented numerous Las Vegas casino properties in disputes with joint venture partners, restaurant tenants and performance artists
Advised multi-billion dollar master-planned urban complex located on the Las Vegas Strip on closing and post-closing disputes
Defended a hotel/casino in purported nationwide class action relating to a telephone surcharge

Immigration

Represented companies and business professionals with nonimmigrant visa issues
Assisted businesses and individuals with immigrant visa, permanent resident and naturalization matters
Assisted businesses with immigration compliance matters including ICE audits
Provided best practices to companies in the immigration area
Provided up-to-date information to clients on immigration law changes
Worked with the CIS and Department of Labor on behalf of clients

Labor and Employment

Represented on-line gaming entity by negotiating and drafting employment and consulting agreements
Represented gaming manufacturer and obtained injunctive relief from the United States District Court against former employee who violated restrictive covenants and common law duties

Government and Internal Investigations

Conducted an investigation for management of a gaming device company related to accounting and export issues
Represented gaming device company in negotiations with government agency related to export issues

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Related Information

Related Services

Master Degree In Casino Management

A vast and sometimes complicated hierarchy of employees with a variety of titles, responsibilities, and even different styles of dress populates a casino. These workers simultaneously cater to the needs of the guests and the casino owners. No matter who they are, the casino employees all have one goal in common: to provide you with ample opportunities to try your luck against the unevenly-stacked house odds.

Casino employees are usually pleasant, professional, and well-trained individuals (after all, if you’re treated with courtesy and respect, you’re more likely to stay — and spend — longer).

In the pits: Serving the table players

Master Casino Management Jobs

As you explore the responsibilities of the various casino personnel, it helps to split the casino into two parts:

The area where slot machines appear in endless rows.

The area where you play table games, such as blackjack, craps, or roulette.

The casino arranges the tables in pits, similar to wagon trains encircled to protect against an attack. Each pit is designed to be an autonomous, fully functioning business, equipped with a variety of table games and a small community of casino personnel that is always willing to usher your dollar bills into the casino coffers.

Pit bosses

Pit bosses are smartly attired, experienced professionals who are responsible for all the gaming operations in their assigned pits. As the name implies, pit bosses supervise floorpersons, dealers, and the gamers within their pit. Theirs is a very detail-oriented job, requiring not only intimate knowledge of all aspects of the games but also the ability to keep track of thousands of dollars flowing through their spheres of influence. In the event of a serious dispute, the pit boss is the one who steps in to settle matters.

Among other tasks, pit bosses monitor credit markers, or the amount of credit extended to you, and they dispense comps, such as free meals or shows, doled out according to an elaborate formula based on the number of hours you play and the amount of money you wager.

Winning or losing vast sums of money often ignites supercharged emotions. Another responsibility of the pit boss is to make sure those emotions don’t explode into conflict. The pit boss is there to congratulate as well as to calm, to soothe as well as to strong-arm. The pit boss’s job is part security staff, part supervisor, part gambling expert, and part public relations manager.

Floorpersons

Reporting to each pit boss are several other suits known as floorpersons. The main difference from pit bosses is that floorpersons are in charge of only a couple of tables in the pit and report directly to the pit boss. They dress and act like the pit boss, and you typically can’t distinguish between the two without asking. Both of them make sure that proper casino procedure is followed.

Dealers

Dealers have their fingers on the pulse of the casino — figuratively and literally. Theirs is a high-pressure job with a demanding audience. Overseeing several players at a table, dealers must be confident in their gambling knowledge. They must know who wins, who loses, and how much to pay out on each hand. Many gamers mistakenly believe that dealers simply shuffle and deal cards, but dealers must also handle dice, chips, and money — accurately and quickly.

Dealers have a wide range of personalities. Some are polite and ebullient, others efficient and brusque. Although finding a compatible dealer doesn’t change the cards or the size of your winnings, it can make your gaming experience more enjoyable. When you find one you like, sit down, but remember the dealer has no control over the outcome. Most dealers prefer that you win because they make their money primarily from tips.

Slot employees: The reel dealers

The average American casino makes nearly two-thirds of its profits from its various slot machines. Therefore, casinos are diligent when it comes to maintaining and stocking them for long-term play.

Slot attendants

The person you’re most likely to deal with if you have a problem or question about your machine is a slot attendant. Slot machine attendants are on constant vigil, ever watchful for the next jackpot or flashing light requesting service. They’re usually wearing a uniform and sometimes push carts with oodles of money so they can give change to bettors in need. The attendants are the perfect people to ask if you’re not sure how to play a particular machine; they know every bell, cherry, and bar like the back of their hand.

Slot supervisors

The slot supervisor rules the realm of the slot machines, managing employees and overseeing the maintenance and upkeep of the machines. The slot supervisor generally has several slot attendants as direct reports. For casual gamblers, slot supervisors normally play a part in your life only if you hit a jackpot that can’t be paid out in coins.

Management: Running the tables

A host of other casino personnel contribute to the success of the house.

Casino hosts

Modern casino hosts best resemble a successful hotel concierge: They’re at your service. A typical casino host is an affable and professional employee whose mission is to serve your every need. Hosts are hands-on people who greet VIP guests at the door and pamper them throughout their stay. Depending on the size and popularity of the casino and the thickness of your wallet, a casino host may

Comp your rooms

Arrange for greens fees at the golf course

Get tickets to sold-out shows

Give away free meals

If it’s your first time in a casino, don’t expect to have the keys to the Rain Man suite at Caesar’s Palace handed to you. But even low rollers can make a relationship with the casino host profitable:

Join the club: The casino host expects you to be a casino loyalty club member before you’re offered many comps.

Master Casino Management Course

Express yourself: Don’t wait for the host to find you in the penny slots area; go introduce yourself to the host.

Master Casino Management Software

Be loyal: Find your favorite gambling locale and stick to it. Even small-scale visits can make you a valuable customer if they’re repeated regularly.

Master Casino Management System

Just ask: The players who get comps are the ones who ask the casino host. Don’t be rude or demanding, just ask politely and see what benefits you qualify for.

Other managers

As in other walks of life, every casino employee has to report to somebody, and those somebodies are the shift managers, who are responsible for their areas of casino expertise (such as slots or table games) during a particular shift. The only position above the shift manager is the casino manager. The only time you may ever interact with the manager is if you win enough money to buy the casino.