“When I first migrated to New Zealand and started work at the casino, it was only supposed to be a temporary filler, just to get some quick cash in. In all honesty, I was very ashamed about even working here, as in India a casino is not the type of place where a respectable woman works.”

For Radha Vallanki, who had been a teacher in India, being a dealer at Auckland’s SKYCITY casino was not something to be proud of. For her first year she went to great efforts to keep her profession a secret from her family.

“I didn’t even tell my parents where I was working, because of the attitude in India to such women. But as I started to grow in my role, to see what an excellent place it was to work, I started to feel less ashamed. When my parents came over for a visit I brought them here and they were very surprised at the beauty, at the class of the place. Now it’s out in the open – they know, everybody knows, and it’s nothing for me to be ashamed about any more. In fact, it’s quite the opposite these days – I’m proud to say I work here.”

In her role as area manager, Radha oversees the staff who man the different table games, and it is her job to ensure that both the players and the employees are kept happy.

“It’s a multitasking role so you have to keep your eyes on many different things at once. Whether it’s keeping the table stocked with chips, planning the rosters of who goes where and does what, making sure the staff are paid on time. There’s always something to do. Many of the negotiation techniques that I first learned in the classroom come in useful! You need good communication above all, but then patience, flexibility and dedication. A good balance of everything is what counts.”

And what does Radha consider the most important attribute for someone thinking about a job in the casino industry? “A positive mental attitude,” she smiles. “It’s the key both in work, and in life.”