Las Vegas, NV – Artificial intelligence is coming for some casino jobs on the Strip, but it will also help clean up sports betting scandals and keep tourists flooding in, top experts warned Wednesday.
The stark prediction came during a packed seminar titled “Challenges and Opportunities of AI in Las Vegas” at Park MGM, hosted by The Economic Club of Las Vegas.
Jobs on the Table Are Changing Fast
Brett Abarbanel, executive director of the UNLV International Gaming Institute, didn’t sugarcoat it: AI will eliminate certain roles in casinos within the next five years.
“Anything repetitive that a human does today, AI can do faster and cheaper tomorrow,” she told the crowd of executives and policymakers.
Casino surveillance, player tracking analytics, slot floor optimization, and even some cage and count-room functions are already being replaced or heavily assisted by machines.
Rick Arpin, managing director at KPMG and a 30-year veteran of the gaming industry, agreed.
“We’re already seeing operators cut staff in back-of-house analytics teams by 40 percent after rolling out AI tools,” Arpin said.
Sports Betting Integrity Gets a Powerful New Ally
On the flip side, every panelist praised AI as the best weapon yet against match-fixing and problem gambling.
Dr. Kasra Ghaharian, UNLV’s director of research, revealed that Nevada sportsbooks are quietly using AI to flag suspicious betting patterns in real time.
“We caught three separate prop-bet manipulation attempts last NBA season alone because the algorithm spotted money moving in ways no human would ever notice,” Ghaharian said.
The technology cross-references betting line movements, player performance data, social media chatter, and even dark-web forums within seconds.
Major leagues are now begging Nevada regulators for access to the same tools after the Jontay Porter scandal and the ongoing college basketball point-shaving investigations.
Tourists Won’t Stop Coming
Here’s the surprise: none of the experts believe AI will hurt visitation.
Abarbanel pointed out that people don’t fly to Las Vegas to watch humans deal blackjack faster.
“They come for the energy, the shows, the nightlife, the human connection,” she said. “AI can’t replace a cocktail server remembering your name or a DJ reading the crowd.”
In fact, resorts are already using AI to make the guest experience better, not colder.
MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment confirmed this week they are testing AI concierges that instantly rebook shows, upgrade rooms, or send free drinks when a player is on a cold streak, all without waiting in line.
What Jobs Are Safe and What Jobs Are Gone
The panel broke it down clearly:
Safe (for now):
- Cocktail servers
- Dealers who focus on entertainment
- VIP hosts
- Entertainers and production crews
- Security officers who make judgment calls
At risk in the next 3-7 years:
- Surveillance analysts
- Marketing analysts
- Slot technicians (routine maintenance)
- Count room staff
- Some cage cashiers
Arpin predicted the biggest shift will come in middle management.
“AI doesn’t just replace clerks. It replaces the people who used to manage the clerks,” he said.
The room went quiet when he added: “We’re going to see the flattest organizational charts in casino history by 2030.”
Yet all three panelists ended on the same hopeful note: Las Vegas has survived television, recessions, pandemics, and online gambling. It will adapt again.
“This city reinvents itself every 20 years,” Abarbanel said. “AI is just the next chapter, not the final one.”
The seminar closed with applause and a rush to the bar, proof that no matter how smart machines get, people still want to celebrate in person, together, under the neon lights.
