I had the chance to sit in for a day during a training for dealers at the Asian Gaming Academy (AGA).

There were eight students in class who were being taught by experienced trainers on the rudiments of various table games. Chips handling, the graceful flipping of cards and doing incredible four-digit mental calculations during pay outs are just one of the many skills being taught during casino dealing class. Can you imagine the pressure you are in when you have to perform these tasks all at the same time? Not to mention that you must smile and maintain your poise all the time.This is how the Asian Gaming Academy prepares its trainees for the real life work of a casino dealer.
Half of the day was spent for assessment. The diligent and dedicated trainers of the Asian Gaming Academy constantly test the level of skills of their trainees. They must be as flawless as priceless gems when they are released from training school.
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A PAGCOR Casino Dealer

People apply in PAGCOR because most of them want to be a casino dealer. It’s a most sought-after position in the company and we can’t blame them. Being a dealer is financially rewarding and can set one off to a lifetime career that promises much growth and opportunity. Most of all, it exposes one to the glittering world of high rollers and assorted characters that we only get to see in the movies.The question is: how does one go about in applying for the job?

The key is in knowing whether you meet the desired qualifications.

Right age. PAGCOR implements a strict screening process and will only accept applications from those within the 21 to 30 years age limit. If, for example, you are three months short of your 21st birthday, you have to wait until you turn 21 before your application can be entertained.

Educational attainment. One must have taken 80 units of tertiary schooling. Better if one has graduated from any course in college. PAGCOR – Human Resource Department will ask for a copy of your Transcript of Records for screening purposes, so have one ready. (continue reading…)

I can still remember the time when a friend invited me to apply for a casino dealer’s job for a cruise ship in Europe. Her application didn’t push through, and I was the one who got accepted instead. Back then, I was in doubt whether I could hack being a croupier since Math was my waterloo in school. Little did I know that everything’s possible with the right training.

Under the guidance of a PAGCOR instructor, we spent weeks learning the rudiments of American roulette and blackjack. My Math-addled brain got its much needed practice, and I would spend the next two years of my twenty-something life working in the ship casino and travelling at the same time.

Like my case, no dream is impossible if you go for it. Maybe you want to work in a casino because of the good pay and the excitement of being surrounded by thousands of blinking slot machine lights. Or maybe you want the security of a job in a high-growth industry. With countless resort projects in the wings all over Asia and other gaming meccas in Europe and America, it would be wise indeed to be part of the action and start a promising career in the casino industry.

Luckily, PAGCOR has established the first casino training school in the country. It is called AGA or the Asian Gaming Academy. The school is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and its instructors boast of decades of experience in the gaming industry.

Interested parties can choose from any of the certificate courses in the following games to jumpstart one’s casino career: Baccarat/Blackjack Dealer Course (240 hours), Baccarat (150 hours), Blackjack (110 hours), Craps (150 hours), Roulette (150 hours), Pontoon (110 hours), Pai-Gow (110 hours), Texas Hold- ‘em Poker ( 150 hours), Pai-Gow/Stud Poker (130 hours), Stud Poker (30 hours), Blackjack/Baccarat/Roulette (270 hours). (continue reading…)