South Prince George, VA.-based Richard Bland College of William and Mary is getting ready to launch a program designed to train aspiring casino dealers in the art of table games. 

The Table Games Dealer Institute will officially kick off this fall as a result of joint efforts from the upcoming Live! Casino and Hotel. 

200 People to Receive Dealer Training 

The initiative aims to prepare more than 200 individuals with the necessary skills to deal games like Blackjack, Roulette, and Baccarat.

“Live! needs a dealer’s school, and Richard Bland is primed to be that dealer’s school,” said Kimberly Boyd, vice president of the college.

Rob Norton, president of the Cordish Gaming Group behind Live! Casino, further emphasized the financial perks of the newly announced dealer program. 

According to Norton, the average salary of a dealer would range between $60,000 and $70,000 a year. “It takes six weeks to learn how to become a dealer,” he added. 

Class registration is expected to be open in July, with the first courses that will focus on Blackjack planned for August 1.

“Richard Bland College Could Not Be Happier”

The new training program announcement coincided with the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Live! Casino and Hotel in Petersburg earlier this month, which marked one crucial moment in the city’s history. 

Just four months after city residents agreed to build a casino in the city, the wheels started to spin for the opening of a temporary facility by the end of the year. 

The moment was described as “historical” by Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D-Petersburg). 

“There are moments in time where you know that one singular event will change the trajectories of a community and today’s project is one of those projects, unquestionably,” Aird added. 

During the event, Richard Bland College president Debbie Sydow took the opportunity to express excitement about the collaboration. 

Sydow commented, “Richard Bland College could not be happier, prouder to be an educational partner with Live! Casino Hotel.”

The college, which is a selective, residential, two-year learning institution that promotes “a rich learning experience at a reasonable cost for students preparing for transfer to highly ranked colleges and universities,” expects the partnership to offer hands-on training as well as strong employment prospects in the fast-growing gaming industry.

Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady, Riverwalk Casino & Hotel, and Terre Haute Casino Resort are other U.S. casinos that have trained future table games dealers to cater to their needs.