LAS VEGAS — Buyouts, retirements, automation, and evolving staffing models are contributing to noticeable shifts in labor dynamics and casino culture along the Las Vegas Strip.
The casino industry has seen major changes in 2025, reshaping the landscape. In 2025, all major casinos on the Las Vegas Strip are now unionized for the first time in history. The Venetian was one of the last casinos to join the Culinary Workers Union due to a change in ownership. The 60,000-member union is one of the largest labor unions in Nevada and provides casino workers with better job security and 32% wage increases over a five-year contract.
Despite the unionization milestone, slower tourism, automation, and cost-cutting have shifted the labor dynamics. In 2025, tourism dropped by 6% compared to 2025 due to factors like prices and affordability. As a result, casinos like Fontainebleau and Resorts World quietly laid off their casino workers, and more casinos turned to automation. For example, the Venetian offers fully automated game tables for blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. According to Travel and Tour World, due to the push for automation, dealers are no longer seen as a stable employment option.
“We’ve seen our enrollment drop, and people interested in becoming a dealer,” said CEG Dealer School Managing Director David Knoll. “We used to have a lot more people transition from out of state and come to Las Vegas for the opportunities here.”
As electronic and hybrid tables become more popular on casino floors, union contracts may help protect many jobs. However, experts predict that automation will continue to reshape labor demand. Industry experts predict that in the future, casino floors will feature more electronics, fewer humans, and smaller casino floors.
