Card room employee (example: dealer)

If you are actively employed or sponsored by a card room, learn how to apply for a card room employee license, including applications, new and adding or changing employers, and training information.

Who can apply for a card room employee license

You must be actively employed or sponsored by a card room before applying for a card room employee license. The card room submits the application on your behalf.

You must apply for a card room employee license if:

You will be involved in the operation of a:

  • Commercial nonhouse-banked card room charging a fee to play
  • Class F endorsed nonhouse-banked card room
  • House-banked card room.

You perform any of the following functions:

  • Collecting fees
  • Dealing
  • Supervising any card game or other card room employee, such as acting as a pit boss, floor person, or section supervisor
  • Selling or redeeming chips
  • Performing cashier or cage duties such as counting and handling chips or cash, completing credit slips, fill slips, or inventory slips, or accounting for other card room receipts in the cage
  • Observing dealers and card games to detect cheating or control functions
  • Controlling card room funds including keys to secure locations
  • Taking part in the operation of a card game.

A Class B card room employee license is required to work at a house-banked card room and Class F endorsed nonhouse-banked card room.

A Class A card room employee license is required to work at a nonhouse-banked card room.

About card room employees

Visit the Washington State Legislature site to see all the rules that govern card room employees (apps.leg.wa.gov).

How to apply

You may apply online (preferred) or by mail.

In addition to all the materials outlined in our licensing process, the complete application includes:

Applying online

Card room employee applications are available online. Your employer must have a SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account with Washington State Gambling Commission's MyAccount services to submit the application on your behalf.

If they don't have a SAW account, learn how to register for SAW.

Employer registered with SAW and ready to apply for a card room employee license

  1. Log into your WSGC MyAccount through SAW (secureaccess.wa.gov)
  2. Select the 'Employees' tab from the top menu
  3. Select 'Begin a new Individual License Application'
  4. Complete all fields in the application
  5. Select Finish. This will bring you back to the 'Employees' tab
  6. Select 'Upload ID to Employee Apps'
  7. Select 'Upload' and choose file(s) to upload
  8. Write a description, then select 'Upload File(s)'
  9. Once your uploads are completed, select 'Back to Applications'  
  10. Select 'Pay for Completed Application(s) in Shopping Cart'
  11. Select application(s) from list that you want to pay. Select 'Pay this Amount Now'
  12. Enter your checking / saving account information. Select 'Submit Payment Now'
  13. Mail the employees' completed fingerprint cards (2 if ink rolled, 1 if live scanned). See address below.

Applying by mail

If you're applying by mail, make sure you use the correct address based on the carrier you're using.

For US Mail (No UPS or FedEx)

Washington State Gambling Commission
PO Box 42400
Olympia WA 98504-2400

For UPS, FedEx, and overnight packages

Washington State Gambling Commission
4565 7th Avenue SE
Lacey WA 98503

Required training

After we grant your license, you have 30 days to complete your required training:

Current licensees: Add or change your employer

If you are a licensed card room employee and want to add or change your employer, the employer must complete:

Renewing your license

Licenses expire each year. Learn more about how to renew your license.

Reporting changes to your license

There are certain changes you must tell us about. Learn how to report changes to your license.