Live! Casino Philadelphia Faces Wage Lawsuit from Dealers

Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia is accused of paying hundreds of table game dealers less than the minimum wage during mandatory breaks, when they cannot earn tips. Dealer Jannies Lan filed the class action in federal court in Pennsylvania on Monday, November 9, arguing that the casino systematically violated state and federal wage laws through its scheduling practices, tip pool arrangements, and failure to adequately inform employees about their pay.

This lawsuit is the latest in a series of cases over dealer pay practices. In March, similar lawsuits were filed against seven casinos in Atlantic City, and in April a lawsuit making nearly identical claims against Ocean Casino Resort emerged. The fact that the Philadelphia and Ocean cases were filed by the same three law firms suggests a coordinated effort against the way casinos pay their dealers.

According to the complaint, dealers on blackjack, roulette, and other table games typically work 80 minutes and then take a mandatory 20-minute break. Craps dealers work 60 minutes and are assigned a break of the same length. During breaks, dealers cannot deal games, receive tips directly from customers, or leave the casino floor. Even so, these periods count as working time, and management can recall dealers when needed.

The lawsuit therefore claims that at least 20 percent of regular dealers' working hours, and 25 percent for craps dealers, pass without any opportunity to earn tips. It alleges that Live! applied the reduced hourly wage that applies to tipped employees for these periods. Lan states that he joined the casino in July 2021 and claims the casino used tips from the tip pool to cover its own administrative expenses.