Quick answer: Casino dealer background check requirements are set by the state or tribal gaming regulator. Nearly all require a criminal history review, identity verification and a gaming license or work permit before an employee deals. Reveal Background supports the employer’s FCRA-compliant pre-screen. Regulator approval is a separate, mandatory step.
- The gaming regulator decides who may deal. Your employer screen does not replace its license or permit process.
- Employer checks must follow the FCRA: written disclosure, written authorization, and a two-step adverse action process.
- Run the pre-screen first to avoid sponsoring license applications for candidates who will clearly be disqualified.
Who sets casino dealer background check requirements?
Each state gaming commission or control board licenses or registers casino employees in its jurisdiction. Tribal casinos follow their tribal gaming regulatory authority under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).
For tribal gaming, the National Indian Gaming Commission rules at 25 CFR Part 556 require background investigations for key employees and primary management officials. The rules also require the tribe to keep investigative reports and eligibility determinations (eCFR, 25 CFR Part 556, as of the current edition).
Dealer license names, fees, fingerprinting methods and disqualifying offenses differ by state and tribe. Always confirm the current rules with your regulator before you publish a job posting.
What do regulators and employers typically check?
Regulator investigations are generally broader than an employer screen. They usually include fingerprint-based criminal history, identity and work authorization, and often financial and employment history. Check your regulator’s application for the exact list.
An employer pre-hire screen through Reveal Background can cover:
- National criminal database search
- County criminal record search, in each county where the candidate has lived
- Federal criminal record search
- Sex-offender registry search
- SSN trace to verify identity and address history
- Employment verification and education verification
- Motor vehicle record (MVR), if the role includes driving duties
- Drug testing coordination through American Screening Corp, where your policy and state law allow
Most searches return same-day results. County courts with slower record access can take longer.
Regulator investigation vs. employer pre-screen
| Item | Gaming regulator | Employer pre-screen |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Decide who may work in gaming | Decide who to hire |
| Governing rules | State gaming law or tribal ordinance, IGRA | FCRA (15 U.S.C. 1681), EEOC guidance, state law |
| Fingerprints | Commonly required | Not required for most searches |
| Candidate consent | Application and release | Written disclosure and authorization |
| Result | License, permit or denial | Report used for your hiring decision |
| Replaces the other? | No | No |
What FCRA steps must you follow?
When you use a consumer reporting agency to screen a candidate, the Fair Credit Reporting Act applies. The FTC’s guidance for employers describes the required steps (FTC, Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know).
- Disclosure: Give the candidate a clear, standalone written notice that you may obtain a background report.
- Authorization: Get written permission before ordering the report.
- Pre-adverse action: If the report may lead you to reject the candidate, send a copy of the report and the FTC summary of rights before you decide.
- Waiting period: Give the candidate a reasonable time to dispute errors.
- Adverse action: If you proceed, send a final notice. It must include the reporting agency’s contact details and the candidate’s dispute rights.
How should you treat criminal records?
The EEOC advises employers to avoid blanket exclusions. It recommends considering the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and the nature of the job (EEOC, Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions).
Gaming regulators may set mandatory disqualifiers for licensure. Those are the regulator’s rules, not yours. Keep your own written criteria separate and consistent for every candidate.
State limits to check first
- Ban-the-box or fair-chance laws that delay criminal history questions until later in hiring
- Lookback limits on reporting certain records, including seven-year limits in some states
- Local rules on salary history, credit and arrest records
- State-specific disclosure and notice forms
Casino dealer hiring checklist
- Confirm the regulator’s current license or permit rules and fees.
- Decide who pays for the license application and when.
- Give the FCRA disclosure and collect authorization as separate documents.
- Order national, county, federal and sex-offender searches plus an SSN trace.
- Verify prior employment, especially cash-handling or gaming roles.
- Apply written, role-related criteria consistently.
- Follow pre-adverse and adverse action steps before rejecting anyone.
- Submit the regulator application only after your screen clears.
- Keep records according to your retention policy and state law.
How to start screening dealer candidates
Reveal Background charges per report with no setup fee. Create an account at app.revealbackground.com, send the candidate the disclosure and authorization, and order the searches your policy requires. If your policy includes drug testing, American Screening Corp coordinates collection.
Frequently asked questions
Do casino dealers need a background check?
Yes. Regulators in nearly all gaming jurisdictions require a criminal history review before issuing a license or permit. Employers commonly add their own screen before hiring.
Does an employer background check replace the gaming license investigation?
No. The regulator runs its own investigation and makes its own decision. Your screen only informs your hiring decision and helps filter candidates early.
What do casinos look for in a dealer background check?
Typically criminal convictions, identity and work authorization, and employment history. Regulators may add financial history. Disqualifying offenses vary by state and tribe.
How long does a casino dealer background check take?
Most employer searches return the same day. Regulator licensing timelines vary and are set by the agency, so ask for current processing times.
Sources
- eCFR: 25 CFR Part 556, Background Investigations for Primary Management Officials and Key Employees
- EEOC: Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions
- FTC: Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know
This is general information, not legal or medical advice; consult counsel on adverse action and your gaming regulator on licensing.
