Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators in the U.S. is $43,370 ($20.85 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $43,370
- Mean annual wage
- $45,630
- Median hourly wage
- $20.85
- Employment
- 9,520
9,520 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $32,730 | $15.74 |
| 25th percentile | $36,270 | $17.44 |
| Median (50th) | $43,370 | $20.85 |
| 75th percentile | $49,210 | $23.66 |
| 90th percentile | $61,970 | $29.79 |
Highest-paying states for gambling surveillance officers and gambling investigators
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $61,770 | 80 |
| Connecticut | $56,300 | 180 |
| Oregon | $50,120 | 70 |
| Arizona | $50,010 | 380 |
| New York | $49,110 | 170 |
| New Jersey | $48,620 | 270 |
| Maryland | $47,950 | 120 |
| Indiana | $46,910 | 380 |
| North Dakota | $46,740 | 120 |
| Michigan | $46,620 | 330 |
Lowest-paying states
- South Dakota: $33,820 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $33,910 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $35,150 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $35,360 median annual wage
- Iowa: $35,750 median annual wage
About this occupation
Observe gambling operation for irregular activities such as cheating or theft by either employees or patrons. Investigate potential threats to gambling assets such as money, chips, and gambling equipment. Act as oversight and security agent for management and customers.
Typical tasks
- Act as oversight or security agents for management or customers.
- Inspect and monitor audio or video surveillance equipment to ensure it is working appropriately.
- Observe casino or casino hotel operations for irregular activities, such as cheating or theft by employees or patrons, using audio and video equipment and one-way mirrors.
- Supervise or train surveillance observers.
- Monitor establishment activities to ensure adherence to all state gaming regulations and company policies and procedures.
- Develop and maintain log of surveillance observations.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 6.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 36.8% |
| Some college, no degree | 27.8% |
| Associate's degree | 11.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 13.6% |
| Master's degree | 2.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.6% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.