Las Vegas Sun NewsCasinos cutting back on floor supervisors, whose jobs evolving
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20 July 2011
2 a.m.
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In a cash-intensive business with constant temptations to steal, casino floor supervisors and pit bosses were once as ubiquitous as cards and dice.
But fewer suits are hovering around blackjack, roulette and craps tables these days to make sure there’s no monkey business.
Like other industries, casinos are trimming their biggest expense — labor — and relying on technology to fill the gap. Among those taking the hit: floor supervisors, who have long served as deterrents to crime.
Security experts and casino employees suggest that downsizing comes at a price — the risk of the theft of cash and chips when the temptation to steal is at an all-time high.
In Las Vegas, supervisors who used to watch one to four tables per shift watch six to 10 tables, reflecting a gradual, years-long downsizing. Their immediate supervisors, the pit bosses, have been phased out at some casinos, following the same fate as other casino jobs now performed by machines or remaining employees.
Atlantic City casinos adopted the downsizing much more quickly, after the state loosened regulations requiring a certain number of supervisors watching casino games. The estimated savings, in the tens of millions of dollars, was necessary for the region’s struggling casino industry, representatives say.
The trend, coupled with more sophisticated video surveillance, has also changed the role of some supervisors, who earn from $60,000 to $80,000, from security eyes to customer-service workers focusing on high rollers. The supervisors also have been freed up from tracking gambling action at the tables, thanks to the use of loyalty cards and computers.
Jeff Voyles, an industry consultant and UNLV gaming management professor at UNLV, says casinos are putting less emphasis on security than they did decades ago, partly because of payroll costs.
“When I first got into this business, I thought it was amazing to have a manager every 10 feet,” he said. “It was like having a (security guard) outside every store at the mall. Nobody has that. But (casinos) could afford that at the time.”
Arrests for casino employee theft went down in 2010 after spiking in 2009, according to data from the state Gaming Control Board. Figures for this year aren’t yet available. Although arrests don’t tell the whole story on theft, the Control Board’s enforcement chief, Jerry Markling, said he isn’t aware that theft has increased as a result of having fewer supervisors on duty.
The big casinos will typically involve the board if someone has been caught stealing or cheating, he said.
Bill Zender, a casino security consultant and former Nevada regulator, said casinos are taking a big risk by downsizing. “A floor supervisor can’t reasonably watch more than six games. So they’re not going to catch mistakes. And surveillance only has a handful of people (monitoring security cameras) so they’re not going to catch them, either,” he said “I think (casinos) are going overboard trying to save a few dollars, and I think they’re missing the point.”
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Isn't this always the story: companies save a nickel that ends up costing them a dollar and then begin to wonder why employee moral is down. Case studies and books are written in abundance on this short term money-saving tactic which in the end is a long term money-losing strategy. Here's to repeating history.
Nice to see Las Vegas # one is industry creating jobs! With more jobs cut or tips stolen and no benefits for part time workers Steve Wynn can buy a new vase.
Have to laugh at those automated roulette and blackjack machines, so ridiculous. As if the corporate casino experience wasn't empty and boring enough.
what do you mean by "game protection"?
for every dollar saved, 2 are lost due to either theft, cheating or truly honest human mistakes.
not to mention waiting time for markers or even getting an ashtray... 5 star service requires a certain staffing level, i'm sure they'll mobile will just lower thier expectations to "if you get a marker within 5 minutes, you've been served well".
never underestimate corporate greed.
it's not about saving payroll, it's about increasing bonuses. why are boxmen who are so desperately needed a thing of the past?
it's decisions made by bottom line hungry clueless individuals who don't know the first thing about how a casino floor works.
arrogant to the point of ignorance.
Anytime cash is handled or exchanged in the casino industry a living breathing third party must be there to observe the transaction.
Las Vegas surveillance operators do an execellent job in protecting the casino assets. The "eye in the sky" support is after the fact. Less than 3% of all thefts on the casino floor (thefts in motion) are caught in the act. Some experts say the number is much lower. Most thefts are seen by a patron or an employee, who tells a floor supervisor, who then calls surveillance. In a large casinos the floor supervisor is criticial in maintaining the integrity game. If it's JDLR, call surveillance! If the casino reduces their floor supervisors who will make call? Among other things!
The partnership of surveillance and the floor supervisor is the first line of protection and customer service. You take this partnership out of balance and the casino lost ratio per year in both actual theft and business will take down the bottom line. The worst part, the casinos do not measure this effect in terms of reduction in staffing. Usually, top executives will place the blame on marketing.
The employees play a large part in developing loyal casino patrons. It takes a lot of time and money to get to the level repeat customer, a loyal customer. The casino floor supervisor is an integral part of the process.
The casinos that are committed to servicing the customer and protecting the company assests know the value of having a well staff casino floor, in slots and table games!
This is the reality...Corporations have learned to get by with less. These jobs are NEVER coming back - no matter the economic situation. These companies have re-tooled and they will pretend it is temporary.
For this reason, the GOP position that raising taxes will stifle jobs is mostly nonsense. The companies' horde their cash and are 100% bottom-line. They don't even consider job creation in a "let's get the people back to work" mindset.
Corp. Taxes should be raised and close all loopholes. If you want to move your call-center to the Philippines, you pay payroll tax in the USA for every offshore position. Crank up the cap gains to 40% and provide one single incentive: Hire people and you get a significant tax break after the fact.
Just the repatriation of all those jobs moved to Asia would lower our unemployment by 3%.
Brian Sandoval was going to restore Nevada to it's former Greatness and this is the first step. The heart of Sandoval is a security camera with a thumper that beats about 72 times a minute when resting. The enema behind the thumper is not far away.
Really? Security anywhere is over rated. It is a deterrent NEVER recovering what they actually cost to operate. All you need is the threat that someone might be watching. Smart move on the casinos part and good riddance to an employee with whom the dealer might have to split hard earned tips.
I don't spend time in casinos except to pass through them to a restaurant. However, I have watched the employees at the tables and have always admired them for their skills (how do you keep track of all those chips on a craps table?), but more so for their apparent ability and training to maintain a courteous demeanor, not infrequently in the face of some who are far more than simply rude.
The more eyes you have watching the less mistakes and theft. If reports for theft are down thats because less people are getting caught. I can guarantee you the theifs are still stealing.
This is a stupid and short sighted view of casinos to think they dont need the eyes on the floor. I can tell you it also makes the customers feel better to see suites standing everywhere. But oh well. Its not my money right?
Not a concern, the eye in the sky and alert floor people should be adequate.
"Longtimevegan" hit it right on the head. Anyone who knows anything about a casino gaming floor, knows this will blow up in those bean counters' faces, and rightfully so.
Just the loss of more jobs that will never come back. We are slot players and have been amazed at the loss of floor employees due to ticket machines. And good luck at finding a cashier without losing your' breath if your' ticket can't be read. I do enjoy the tickets rather than coins but can see the devestating effect.
While the CEO's of the casinos continue to pat themselves on the back with their outrageous salaries and their delusional grandeur, most all of them continue to tumble one brick at a time. None of them can ever admit that they screwed up years ago with all of their expansion plans....they just keep making one blunder after another with their remedies that will never solve their problems.......only create new ones. I haven't heard of any of them taking a cut in salary. They would rather keep ripping off the shareholders in profits than take a cut........ How long do they plan to blame the economy? There are only a very few that are prospering. The rest of them are living a very expensive lie.
While the CEO's of the casinos continue to pat themselves on the back with their outrageous salaries and their delusional grandeur, most all of them continue to tumble one brick at a time. None of them can ever admit that they screwed up years ago with all of their expansion plans....they just keep making one blunder after another with their remedies that will never solve their problems.......only create new ones. I haven't heard of any of them taking a cut in salary. They would rather keep ripping off the shareholders in profits that take a cut........ How long do they plan to blame the economy? There are only a very few that are prospering. The rest of them are living a very expensive lie.
This may be a case of "penny-wise & dollar-foolish."
It will help the serious b-j players. they don't want a suit standing next to them buzzing in their ears all the time and watch how they're adjusting they play according to certain factors....
From Switzerland
"I think (casinos) are going overboard trying to save a few dollars, and I think they're missing the point."
I don't think they (casinos) ever got the point. They are not in it to offer guests an experience. Most casinos are in it to part you of your hard earned cash as expeditiously as possible, at the lowest possible overhead, leaving more for the greedy scum at the top. Are you listening greedy Fertittas?