Every dealer encounters difficult players. Learning to handle them professionally—while protecting your own well-being—is an essential career skill.
This guide covers common difficult situations, effective responses, and strategies for maintaining composure when players make shifts challenging.
The Reality of Difficult Players
Why They Happen
Gambling involves money and emotion: People lose money they care about. Some handle this well; others don't. The dealer is the visible representative of the casino.
Alcohol involvement: Many players drink while gambling. Alcohol reduces inhibition and increases emotional reactions.
The blame reflex: It's easier to blame the dealer than to accept that gambling involves luck. "You took my card" feels better than "I lost randomly."
Entitlement: Some players feel entitled to win, be treated specially, or have rules bent. When this doesn't happen, frustration emerges.
What to Expect
Frequency: Most shifts don't involve serious issues. But over a career, every dealer encounters every type of problem.
Types:
- Verbal complaints about luck
- Rude comments
- Intoxicated behavior
- Actual abuse (rare but occurs)
- Attempts to bend/break rules
Variation: Some properties, shifts, and games see more issues than others. Late nights and high-volume times tend to have more problems.
Common Difficult Situations
The Blame Dealer
Behavior: Blames dealer for losses. "You're killing me." "Why do you always give yourself good cards?" Comments about bad luck supposedly caused by the dealer.
Reality check: Dealers don't control card order. Blame-the-dealer is an emotional response, not a rational one.
Response: Don't argue or defend. Brief acknowledgment, then continue dealing. "It's been tough cards" is sufficient. Don't apologize for outcomes you don't control.
Boundary: If blame becomes abusive or disruptive, notify floor supervision.
The Strategy Critic
Behavior: Comments on how dealer should have played differently. Second-guesses decisions. Explains what "should have" happened.
Reality: Dealers play by house rules, not optimal strategy. There's no choice involved.
Response: "I play according to house rules" covers it. Don't engage in strategy debates. If pressed, let them know the floor can explain the rules further.
The Player Critic
Behavior: Criticizes other players' decisions. "Why did you hit? You took my card!" Blames other players for their own losses.
Response: "Everyone plays their own hand." Don't take sides. If one player is bullying another, call the floor supervisor.
The Intoxicated Player
Behavior: Ranges from mildly impaired (louder, slower) to severely impaired (unable to make decisions, inappropriate behavior).
Dealer limitations: Dealers aren't bartenders and typically don't control player drinking. However, you can:
- Slow game pace
- Speak clearly and repeat as needed
- Alert floor to concerns
- Follow property protocols
When to involve floor: If a player can't make coherent decisions, becomes disruptive, or seems in distress, notify supervision immediately.
The Entitled Player
Behavior: Expects special treatment, rule exceptions, or above-standard service. May hint at or explicitly mention their value to the casino.
Response: Provide excellent service to everyone equally. Don't bend rules regardless of implied importance. High-value players receive special treatment from hosts, not dealers.
Escalation: If they demand exceptions, direct them to floor supervision. "Let me get someone who can help with that."
The Cheater
Behavior: Attempting to past-post, cap, pinch, or otherwise cheat.
Response: Never accuse directly. Note what you observed, protect the game, and notify floor supervision immediately. Let security handle it.
Your role: Observe and report, not confront.
The Verbally Abusive Player
Behavior: Personal insults, profanity directed at you, derogatory comments.
Response: Do not engage. Maintain composure. Notify floor immediately. Most properties have zero-tolerance policies.
Your rights: You don't have to accept abuse. Properties generally back dealers against abusive players.
Response Strategies
The Non-Engagement Approach
Principle: Don't give difficult behavior the reaction it seeks.
Application:
- Minimal verbal response
- Neutral facial expression
- Continue dealing professionally
- Don't defend, explain, or argue
Why it works: Many difficult behaviors seek attention or reaction. Not providing this often defuses the situation.
The Redirection Approach
Principle: Shift focus away from the problem.
Application:
- "Let's see what the next hand brings"
- Comment on something neutral (the game, sports on TV)
- Keep the game moving
Why it works: Momentum and new hands create natural breaks from dwelling on past losses.
The Empathy Approach
Principle: Brief acknowledgment without accepting blame.
Application:
- "That was a tough break"
- "Cold streak for sure"
- "Hope it turns around"
Why it works: People want to be heard. Brief acknowledgment satisfies this without conceding fault.
The Floor Approach
Principle: When situations exceed dealer scope, involve supervision.
Application:
- Call floor for rule disputes
- Call floor for intoxicated players
- Call floor for abusive behavior
- Call floor for suspected cheating
Why it matters: Floor personnel are trained and authorized to handle escalated situations. You're not expected to handle everything alone.
Protecting Yourself
Emotional Protection
Don't take it personally: Difficult player behavior is about their emotional state, not about you. You're an available target, not the actual cause.
Compartmentalization: Leave work at work. Process difficult interactions, then move on. Don't carry them home or into subsequent shifts.
Perspective: One difficult player among hundreds of reasonable ones doesn't define the job.
Professional Protection
Follow procedures: Correct procedures protect you when disputes arise. Documentation happens (surveillance records everything).
Don't engage physically: Never touch a player for any reason beyond game procedures. Physical confrontation ends careers.
Report everything: Document significant incidents. Reports protect you if situations escalate later.
When to Involve Others
Always involve floor for:
- Physical threats
- Verbal abuse
- Suspected cheating
- Severely intoxicated players
- Situations you're uncertain how to handle
Don't wait: Early intervention prevents escalation.
Long-Term Coping
Building Resilience
Experience helps: Handling difficult situations becomes easier with practice. What feels overwhelming initially becomes manageable.
Thick skin development: Not callousness, but appropriate emotional distance. Learning what affects you and what shouldn't.
Support systems: Fellow dealers understand the challenges. Sharing experiences (appropriately, not gossip) helps process them.
Recognizing Limits
When it's too much: Chronic stress from difficult players can affect mental health. Recognize signs:
- Dreading every shift
- Replaying incidents repeatedly
- Sleep or mood disturbances
- Physical symptoms
Getting help: Talk to supervisors, employee assistance programs, or mental health professionals if player interactions are significantly affecting well-being.
Career Decisions
Environment matters: Some properties, shifts, and games have more difficult players. Consider whether your current situation is right for you.
You have options: Different properties, different shifts, different career paths. Chronic misery isn't required.
De-escalation Techniques
Verbal De-escalation
Lower your voice: Calm, quiet speaking encourages calm responses.
Slow your pace: Rushed dealing escalates tension.
Use "we" language: "Let's see what happens" rather than "you" language.
Non-Verbal De-escalation
Open body posture: Not defensive or aggressive.
Appropriate eye contact: Neither avoiding nor staring.
Calm movements: Deliberate, unhurried dealing.
Environmental Management
Space: Allow physical space when players are agitated.
Pace: Slight pauses between hands can allow emotions to settle.
Attention distribution: Don't focus exclusively on the difficult player. Serve everyone at the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can players get me fired?
Complaints are investigated, but baseless complaints from difficult players rarely result in discipline for dealers who followed procedures. Most casinos support dealers against unreasonable players.
What if a player threatens me?
Call for security immediately. Do not engage. Physical threats are taken seriously by casinos. You're not expected to accept them.
How do I stay calm when players are awful?
Practice emotional distance. Remind yourself their behavior is about them, not you. Focus on procedure. Some dealers use mantras or breathing techniques. Find what works for you.
Should I respond to every criticism?
No. Most comments don't require response. Brief acknowledgment or no response often works better than engaging.
What if other players get upset at a difficult player?
Call the floor. Managing player-to-player conflict is supervisor territory.
Conclusion
Difficult players are part of dealing. Developing skills to handle them protects your job satisfaction, mental health, and career longevity. The key principles:
- Don't take it personally
- Don't engage with unreasonable behavior
- Know when to involve floor supervision
- Protect yourself emotionally and professionally
- Recognize when you need support
Most players are reasonable. The difficult ones are memorable but not representative. Building skills to handle them ensures they don't overshadow an otherwise rewarding career.
- How to Become a Casino Dealer - Complete career guide
- Dealer Burnout: Managing Stress - Mental health for dealers