Will AI replace gambling and sports book writers and runners?

Some tasks are already being done by AI or machines; the rest still needs a person. About 4h 43m of a typical shift is made up of tasks that AI or robots have done on their own in real use somewhere. That doesn't mean those hours are automated in a typical workplace. The other 3h 17m (41%) stays with people. Separately, BLS expects about 1.8% more of these jobs by 2035 (all jobs: +3.5%).

None of this job's tasks show regular AI use yet. That can mean the work is hands-on or in person, or simply that it rarely comes up in AI usage data.

For some tasks, yes. Robots have done 7 of this job's tasks in workplaces like this one, about 4h 43m of a typical shift. 5 more tasks have only been done in factory setups built around the machine, so they stay with people here.

• Collect bets in the form of cash or chips, verifying and recording amounts. (2h a shift; e.g. IGT PlaySports retail sportsbook platform + self-service kiosks, in use)
• Compute and verify amounts won or lost, paying out winnings or referring patrons to workers, such as gaming cashiers, so that winnings can be collected. (1h 25m a shift; e.g. Ticket redemption kiosk (regulatory class, WAC 230-15-767), in use)
• Start gaming equipment that randomly selects numbered balls and announce winning numbers and colors. (28m a shift; e.g. Automatic keno ball drawing equipment in Station Casinos keno lounges, in use)
• Exchange paper currency for playing chips or coins. (14m a shift; e.g. SuzoHapp Chip Dispensing Machine (CDM), in use)

3h 17m of a typical shift, or 41%, goes to tasks with no AI or robot evidence yet. No AI usage or robot deployment has shown up for these so far. The biggest:

• Answer questions about game rules or casino policies. (56m a shift)
• Conduct gambling tables or games, such as dice, roulette, cards, or keno, and ensure that game rules are followed. (35m a shift)
• Collect cards or tickets from players. (28m a shift)
• Open or close cash floats or game tables. (21m a shift)
• Record the number of tickets cashed and the amount paid out after each race or event. (21m a shift)

Much of it comes down to where and how the work happens. In-person, hands-on and high-stakes work is where AI and robots have made the least headway so far. In the official O*NET survey of people in this job:

• 97% work at arm's length or closer to other people
• 77% say dealing with the public is very or extremely important
• 77% use their hands on tools, objects or controls more than half the time

On Indeed, job postings in the Hospitality & Tourism sector are at 83% of their February 2020 level (all U.S. postings: 104%), down 5.2% from a year earlier, as of Oct 9, 2026. BLS separately expects about 1,400 openings a year in this job through 2035. Across all U.S. postings, 7.3% now mention AI skills. Sector postings cover more than this one job and move for many reasons besides AI.

The median pay is about $34,980 a year ($16.82 an hour), 31% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Most people in this job earn between $22,090 and $48,270 a year; that range covers the middle 80%. Pay figures are from BLS, May 2025, and vary a lot by state and employer. Pick a state to compare:

BLS projects growth of 1.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all jobs. That's about 9,800 jobs in 2035. It expects about 1,400 openings a year, mostly from people retiring or changing careers. These projections don't single out AI as a cause.

About 8,950 people in the U.S., roughly 0.01% of all workers (BLS, May 2025). That makes it the 678th largest of the 796 jobs on this site. BLS expects about 9,800 in 2035.

The most common requirement is a high school diploma: about 87% of people in the job said so in the official O*NET survey. O*NET rates the job at level 2 of 5 for preparation, which usually means: high school diploma, some training. Requirements vary by state and employer, especially for licensed work.

These come from the job's official skill ratings and from the tasks that AI and robots touch least today. Building them keeps you strong in the parts of the work that still need a person:

• Skills that matter more here than in most jobs: Mathematics, Active Listening, Coordination, Social Perceptiveness
• Get strong at the parts of the job that stay with people (listed above), which take 3h 17m of a typical shift
• Tools employers list: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word

Yes. Occupational experts recently added these to the official task list, a sign of how the work itself is shifting. New tasks aren't rated for AI or robots yet:

• Provide race or game information to patrons.
• Serve drinks to patrons.

These use similar skills, with less of a typical shift touched by AI or robots. Matches come from 109 official ratings of skills, knowledge and work activities, and each needs the same or less preparation unless the official list relates the jobs directly:

• Gambling Dealers (1h 31m touched, $34k median pay)
• Cashiers (3h 47m touched, $33k median pay)
• Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers (2h 17m touched, $33k median pay)
• Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants (1h 46m touched, $36k median pay)
• Manicurists and Pedicurists (34m touched, $36k median pay)

Each task carries its own evidence label. For this job: 7 with robots in real deployments, 11 with no AI or robot evidence found. The minutes per task are estimates, not measured hours, and "no evidence" doesn't prove a task is safe.