Now before I begin I know I'm going to get a lot of slack for this post, but o well. Say you were interested in working a Vegas Casino for walk around. Any suggestions on the best places to approach, who to talk to first and how to get the job?

Hmmm...the casinos general manager?

Mark.

Try doing Matrix with chips.... the pit bosses LOVE it when they see that one!
And... they always watch closely!

Good luck with that one. I've tried to break in to the Vegas Market several years back. It ain't easy. I think you gotta know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy...and one of those guys has to be named Vinnie if you catch my drift!

Will be very interested to hear of how it goes for you.

Sorry but Vinnie left Vegas in about 1980. It is BIG corporations now.

Still not easy.

Doubt you will have much luck, Casino owners do not want gamblers distracted. You might get walk around in one of the resturants or bars, but on the floor? Casino manager is the guy to approach, if he will give you the time of day.

You can work in the Casino restaurants.

It might be easier to try the "off the strip" casinos first. That would be a good way to get established in the market. I found that most Casino Managers want nothing to do Sleight of Hand performers in the actual Casino...for the obvious reasons.

Try the restaurants of see if they have a small area off the Casino Floor where they could let you set up shop and perform a show that they could SELL tickets for. Just an idea...

Get a booking agent. Or move to Vegas and talk to the people on the inside.

We just had a casino reopen here in my area and I am going for the resturants next week. LEt me know how you come out.

On the casino floor I doubt it. You could work the areas around the casino and the lines at check in if it is a hotel. Doc Cheatum works at The Silver Legacy in Reno and actually has developed into kind of an official 'greeter'. He works the line, says howdy to people, then he gets his table out and has a side spot where he does close up magic with a gambling theme usually.

For what reason again does anyone think they want you distracted from playnig machines and tables? I missed a memo.

That being said a "passive performer" such as artists, impersinators, balloon twisters, I have known to work the floor. Just not a "magician" in my experience. It can happen but as a rule not so much.

On Lee Asher's Hit the Road DVD, the Buck Twins are shown performing on the floor for guests, that might be one way to get the impression. I do agree that it's not a conducive environment for magic.

Yeah...but the Buck Brothers sold their sole to the devil long ago...so I'm sure the Vegas Deal was part of that. = )

Well...I'm not contesting that...the question was asked, so I answered.

I worked for a Casino not magic.They will never let you do magic inside the casino...Howard

I had mentioned it earlier...Casinos are too worried about people (like us) trying to scam them and steal their money. They'll never let you work the floor for that very reason. The pit bosses have enough to worry about then to keep their eyes on you too.

That being said...lot's of good advice has been shared here for working "around" but "outside" the Casino area. Good luck with it and let us know how it all turns out.

You can always do Lee Ashers 3 Fly routine w/ poker chips! Then do a poker chip to pocket routine, and run!!! LOL!

Do you live in Vegas? If not, get a gig at a casino in your area. This is a lot easier than breaking into Vegas. Then you'll have something on your resume when you try to get the Vegas job.

Jim

Hmmm Work the restaurants in the casino ...you will never be allowed to work the gaming floor for the very reason that the Gaming board does not allow it.
That does not mean that someone cannot walk onto the casino floor for a video shoot and do some gurilla magic there. They don't pay people to perform magic on the casino floor ever.
That being said ....think of several famous member of the magic community who do work at or for casino's.
Here is a small list of people that have done magic as entertainment for casino's and where they worked.
Jimmy Grippo - Caesars Palace ...close-up at the resaurants
Mike Skinner - Downtown at the Golden Nugget- did close-up at several of their restaurants

Chris Angel ...The Aladdin and the Luxor...Stage and close-up

Great ambition but rmember to focus on the proper venue in the casino for you to perform. There are over 500 magicinas working in Vegas right now.
Good Luck man,
Mobius