Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators
Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators (SOC 33-9031) earn a median $43,370 a year ($20.85 an hour) in the United States, with 9,520 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Massachusetts.
What gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators do
Gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators observe gambling operations for irregular activities such as cheating or theft by either employees or patrons, and investigate potential threats to gambling assets such as money, chips and equipment. They monitor establishment activities to make sure they follow all state gaming regulations and company policies and procedures. They observe casino or casino hotel operations using audio and video equipment and one-way mirrors, review video surveillance footage, and keep a log of their observations. They report violations and suspicious behavior to supervisors verbally or in writing. They inspect and monitor audio and video surveillance equipment to make sure it works properly. The SOC adds that they act as oversight and security agents for management and customers, and the tasks include supervising or training surveillance observers. O*NET alternate titles include casino surveillance officer, gaming investigator, gaming inspector, casino enforcement agent and gambling monitor. About 84 percent of respondents report a high school diploma or equivalent. The occupation centers on watching and recording rather than on patrolling and handling disturbances.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (84 percent).
Also called: Casino Enforcement Agent, Casino Investigator, Casino Surveillance Officer, Dual Rate Surveillance Officer, Entertainment And Recreation Industry Surveillance Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.74 | $17.44 | $20.85 | $23.66 | $29.79 | $21.94 | 9,520 |
| Annual | $32,730 | $36,270 | $43,370 | $49,210 | $61,970 | $45,630 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $21.97 | $27.61 | $29.70 | $29.70 | $35.03 | $28.71 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.36 |
| Annual | $45,700 | $57,420 | $61,770 | $61,770 | $72,870 | $59,730 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $22.40 | $22.55 | $27.07 | $33.41 | $35.87 | $27.80 | 180 | 0.11 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $46,600 | $46,890 | $56,300 | $69,480 | $74,610 | $57,830 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $17.62 | $19.50 | $24.10 | $28.56 | $35.76 | $25.53 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $36,660 | $40,560 | $50,120 | $59,400 | $74,380 | $53,110 | ||||
| Arizona | Hourly | $18.04 | $21.25 | $24.05 | $28.55 | $36.42 | $25.56 | 380 | 0.12 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $37,520 | $44,190 | $50,010 | $59,390 | $75,750 | $53,160 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $16.66 | $19.25 | $23.61 | $28.86 | $38.13 | $25.36 | 170 | 0.02 | 0.28 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $40,040 | $49,110 | $60,020 | $79,300 | $52,740 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $14.46 | $15.44 | $17.31 | $19.70 | $22.03 | $17.93 | 1,310 | 0.77 | 12.50 |
| Annual | $30,070 | $32,110 | $36,000 | $40,980 | $45,820 | $37,300 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.22 | $20.24 | $21.51 | $22.66 | $27.93 | $22.51 | 990 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $37,900 | $42,110 | $44,740 | $47,130 | $58,100 | $46,820 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $17.51 | $19.54 | $22.39 | $27.59 | $29.35 | $23.35 | 820 | 0.53 | 8.64 |
| Annual | $36,420 | $40,650 | $46,570 | $57,380 | $61,040 | $48,560 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $16.66 | $17.11 | $18.72 | $25.99 | $31.67 | $22.03 | 570 | 0.09 | 1.53 |
| Annual | $34,650 | $35,600 | $38,930 | $54,060 | $65,870 | $45,820 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $18.10 | $19.07 | $21.99 | $28.35 | $29.90 | $23.75 | 470 | 0.13 | 2.16 |
| Annual | $37,650 | $39,670 | $45,740 | $58,960 | $62,190 | $49,400 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $16.90 | $16.90 | $27.83 | $32.27 | $37.66 | $26.59 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $35,150 | $35,150 | $57,890 | $67,110 | $78,340 | $55,310 | ||||
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | Hourly | $17.04 | $19.99 | $27.68 | $53.84 | $53.84 | $33.05 | 80 | 0.07 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $35,430 | $41,570 | $57,580 | $111,990 | $111,990 | $68,740 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $21.92 | $23.80 | $26.88 | $35.45 | $38.13 | $29.01 | 90 | 0.01 | 0.15 |
| Annual | $45,590 | $49,510 | $55,910 | $73,730 | $79,300 | $60,330 | ||||
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | Hourly | $16.57 | $16.57 | $25.47 | $31.82 | $35.24 | $25.02 | 90 | 0.66 | 10.72 |
| Annual | $34,460 | $34,460 | $52,990 | $66,190 | $73,300 | $52,050 | ||||
| Cleveland, OH | Hourly | $18.76 | $22.00 | $25.37 | $40.87 | $41.61 | $27.84 | 40 | 0.04 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $39,020 | $45,760 | $52,780 | $85,010 | $86,550 | $57,910 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | Hourly | $17.51 | $20.54 | $22.80 | $28.25 | $29.79 | $23.88 | 660 | 0.58 | 9.50 |
| Annual | $36,420 | $42,730 | $47,420 | $58,750 | $61,970 | $49,660 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.48 | $17.50 | $22.16 | $23.39 | $53.84 | $24.99 | 300 | 0.07 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $36,360 | $36,400 | $46,100 | $48,650 | $111,990 | $51,980 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $18.06 | $21.01 | $21.47 | $21.47 | $27.93 | $22.82 | 290 | 0.17 | 2.75 |
| Annual | $37,560 | $43,700 | $44,660 | $44,660 | $58,100 | $47,460 | ||||
| Tulsa, OK | Hourly | $14.84 | $15.96 | $16.63 | $18.43 | $22.49 | $17.77 | 270 | 0.59 | 9.63 |
| Annual | $30,870 | $33,200 | $34,590 | $38,330 | $46,780 | $36,950 | ||||
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | Hourly | $19.50 | $20.86 | $22.94 | $27.17 | $27.33 | $23.37 | 240 | 1.40 | 22.88 |
| Annual | $40,550 | $43,390 | $47,710 | $56,520 | $56,840 | $48,610 | ||||
Top industries employing gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators
Gambling Industries employ 48.7% of gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators nationally (4,640 jobs) at a median $38,790 a year ($18.65 an hour), followed by Traveler Accommodation (33.3%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (10.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gambling Industries NAICS 713200 | 4,640 | 48.7% | $38,790 | $18.65 |
| Traveler Accommodation NAICS 721100 | 3,170 | 33.3% | $44,580 | $21.44 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 950 | 10.0% | $46,600 | $22.40 |
| Spectator Sports NAICS 711200 | 210 | 2.2% | $38,090 | $18.31 |
| Investigation and Security Services NAICS 561600 | 40 | 0.4% | $62,600 | $30.10 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (9,520). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $35,450 for gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators in May 2021 and $43,370 in May 2025, with employment of 9,190 and 9,520.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $35,450 | $17.04 | 9,190 |
| May 2022 | $35,970 | $17.30 | 10,500 |
| May 2023 | $39,210 | $18.85 | 10,660 |
| May 2024 | $43,900 | $21.11 | 10,000 |
| May 2025 | $43,370 | $20.85 | 9,520 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
34 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts profile | $29.70 | $61,770 | $45,700 | $72,870 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.36 |
| 2 | Connecticut profile | $27.07 | $56,300 | $46,600 | $74,610 | 180 | 0.11 | 1.74 |
| 3 | Oregon profile | $24.10 | $50,120 | $36,660 | $74,380 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.58 |
| 4 | Arizona profile | $24.05 | $50,010 | $37,520 | $75,750 | 380 | 0.12 | 1.91 |
| 5 | New York profile | $23.61 | $49,110 | $34,650 | $79,300 | 170 | 0.02 | 0.28 |
| 6 | New Jersey profile | $23.37 | $48,620 | $40,550 | $59,270 | 270 | 0.06 | 1.03 |
| 7 | Maryland profile | $23.05 | $47,950 | $33,510 | $59,980 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.70 |
| 8 | Indiana profile | $22.55 | $46,910 | $34,550 | $111,990 | 380 | 0.12 | 1.93 |
| 9 | North Dakota profile | $22.47 | $46,740 | $37,870 | $61,740 | 120 | 0.28 | 4.53 |
| 10 | Michigan profile | $22.41 | $46,620 | $36,000 | $61,070 | 330 | 0.08 | 1.23 |
| 11 | Nevada profile | $22.39 | $46,570 | $36,420 | $61,040 | 820 | 0.53 | 8.64 |
| 12 | Ohio profile | $22.06 | $45,880 | $34,960 | $86,550 | 190 | 0.03 | 0.55 |
| 13 | Washington profile | $21.99 | $45,740 | $37,650 | $62,190 | 470 | 0.13 | 2.16 |
| 14 | California profile | $21.51 | $44,740 | $37,900 | $58,100 | 990 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $21.32 | $44,340 | $30,800 | $56,440 | 100 | 0.04 | 0.57 |
| 16 | Minnesota profile | $21.19 | $44,080 | $31,780 | $59,670 | 210 | 0.07 | 1.15 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $20.56 | $42,760 | $33,580 | $57,900 | 330 | 0.05 | 0.89 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $20.26 | $42,150 | $30,850 | $67,310 | 260 | 0.09 | 1.44 |
| 19 | Virginia profile | $20.19 | $41,980 | $33,950 | $67,110 | ** | ** | ** |
| 20 | Florida profile | $18.78 | $39,060 | $33,880 | $63,580 | 230 | 0.02 | 0.37 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania profile | $18.72 | $38,930 | $34,650 | $65,870 | 570 | 0.09 | 1.53 |
| 22 | Delaware profile | $18.71 | $38,910 | $35,310 | $50,690 | 50 | 0.10 | 1.65 |
| 23 | Missouri profile | $18.68 | $38,860 | $30,190 | $47,050 | 230 | 0.08 | 1.25 |
| 24 | Idaho profile | $18.68 | $38,850 | $33,870 | $47,310 | 50 | 0.06 | 1.05 |
| 25 | Alabama profile | $17.78 | $36,970 | $34,130 | $59,240 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.56 |
| 26 | New Mexico profile | $17.75 | $36,930 | $28,430 | $64,540 | 110 | 0.13 | 2.09 |
| 27 | Kansas profile | $17.71 | $36,830 | $30,370 | $53,710 | 110 | 0.08 | 1.29 |
| 28 | Kentucky profile | $17.46 | $36,330 | $31,140 | $43,350 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.72 |
| 29 | Oklahoma profile | $17.31 | $36,000 | $30,070 | $45,820 | 1,310 | 0.77 | 12.50 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | $17.19 | $35,750 | $31,990 | $43,940 | 230 | 0.15 | 2.37 |
| 31 | Mississippi profile | $17.00 | $35,360 | $27,620 | $48,570 | 240 | 0.20 | 3.33 |
| 32 | West Virginia profile | $16.90 | $35,150 | $27,190 | $43,090 | 70 | 0.09 | 1.53 |
| 33 | Louisiana profile | $16.30 | $33,910 | $23,440 | $44,240 | 240 | 0.12 | 2.02 |
| 34 | South Dakota profile | $16.26 | $33,820 | $28,090 | $57,110 | 80 | 0.17 | 2.80 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (33-9030), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Protective Service Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 33-9031 Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 33-9031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 33-9031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.