Croupier

For the 1998 Clive Owen film, see Croupier (film).

A croupier (in European usage) or dealer (in American usage) is a casino employee who takes and pays out bets or otherwise assists at a gaming table. In American usage, dealer may imply a card game, but this is not always the case. For example it is common to refer to a craps dealer [1].

In general, the croupier works only for their salary and does not have a personal interest in the outcome of the game. However, particularly in American casinos, a successful player customarily shares the wealth by providing the croupier with a tip. The croupier traditionally recognizes a generous tip by saying 'merci pour les employés' or 'Thanks on behalf of the employees'.

Training methods to become a casino croupier are different from country to country. Blackjack is usually always the game that dealers learn first, as it is simple, popular, and when the dealer makes errors they tend not to cost the casino much money. Complex, busy games such as craps, with complicated payout systems, etc. are usually reserved for the most competent dealers. [2]