Union leaders and U.S. Representatives met with Las Vegas hospitality workers to discuss how AI and automation are changing casino and resort jobs, with new protections negotiated in recent contracts and more legislative action proposed.
Las Vegas unions and hospitality workers gathered this week to confront the growing impact of artificial intelligence and automation on casino and resort jobs, as new technologies begin to reshape the city’s signature industries. The town hall, held at Teamsters Local 631, brought together members of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, Teamsters, Voto Latino, and other organizations, alongside U.S. Representatives Ro Khanna of California and Steven Horsford of Nevada.
Concerns about job security have intensified as automation makes inroads in Las Vegas casinos and warehouses. Casino dealer Kanie Kastroll described seeing a robotic arm dealing blackjack at a local trade show—an early but unsettling sign of potential displacement for live dealers. “It was so primitive. It was painfully slow. And I thought oh man, they’re coming, you know?” Kastroll said, reflecting the anxiety felt by many in the industry.
Union Contracts Add Technology Protections
Automation is not a distant threat in Las Vegas. In 2019, MGM Resorts introduced automated cocktail machines in service bars, shifting responsibilities for cocktail waitresses and raising concerns among union members. According to Joe Silva of the Culinary Workers Union, this experience led the union to negotiate new technology protections in its 2023 five-year contracts with major resort operators. The agreements require advance notice when new technology is introduced, training for affected workers, and severance pay for those whose jobs are eliminated by automation.
Recent layoffs have underscored the urgency. In March, about 50 workers lost their jobs when Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits automated its Las Vegas warehouse, according to Jason Gately of Teamsters Local 14. Electronic table game machines have also replaced live dealers at Golden Gate Hotel and Casino on Fremont Street, though management offered affected staff reassignment at other properties.
Calls for Legislative Action and Community Input
At the town hall, Rep. Steven Horsford called for legislative guardrails to ensure workers are protected as technology advances. He advocated for requirements such as advance notice and training when new systems are introduced, and emphasized the importance of collective bargaining to hold employers accountable. “If automation makes a company more productive, the benefit should mean safer jobs, better wages, shorter hours and more security,” Horsford said. “Not pink slips for our workers, and big profits for billionaires.”
Rep. Ro Khanna highlighted his recently introduced Data Center Bill of Rights, which would give communities the authority to ban data centers in residential areas and require that new projects use clean energy. Khanna, who has visited Nevada frequently since the 2024 election, described the state as a microcosm of America and a critical place to hear directly from service workers as he considers building a national economic platform.
Las Vegas at the Center of the AI Debate
The Las Vegas Valley is now home to more than 40 planned or operating data centers, making the region a focal point for the intersection of technology, hospitality, and labor. Union leaders and elected officials agreed that as automation and AI continue to expand, the primary beneficiaries should be workers—not just corporations. The Culinary Union’s recent contract wins and ongoing legislative proposals reflect a broader push to ensure that Las Vegas’s hospitality workforce remains protected and prepared for the future.
For workers like Kastroll, who deals cards at Wynn Las Vegas, the hope is that the city’s reputation for high-end, five-star service will continue to offer some insulation from automation. “We’re hoping that because we’re at a high-end place with a five-star service that is hard to replicate across the Strip, we have some advantage based on our service skills,” she said. Still, the rapid pace of technological change means the conversation is far from over for Las Vegas’s hospitality sector.
