Casino security is a challenging field, requiring a balance of vigilance, customer service, and technological innovation. Here at SVIP, we have mentioned the industry being the ultimate security challenge (here). Brett Miller, Director of Security for Gun Lake Casino Resort, brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to his role. In this interview, Brett shares his career journey, the challenges of casino security, and the strategies that keep Gun Lake Casino safe and welcoming for guests.  

From Firefighting to Casino Security: An Accidental Career 

Q: Can you share a bit about your background and what led you to a career in casino security?

“I usually tell people that this is my accidental career. As young as I can remember, I always wanted to be a firefighter. So, while in high school, I went to the local college and got my EMT license, and then right out of high school got sponsored through the Fire Academy. I spent some time working on an ambulance and then was hired full-time at a Fire Department that had just expanded due to ALS service. I worked there for about 4 years and then the city decided to eliminate the Ambulance, ultimately cutting about half of the department. So, while trying to find a new career choice in the midst of a recession, I ended up applying to Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek as an EMT. I was hired as part of the pre-opening team and worked as an EMT for 6 shifts before getting promoted to Supervisor (Must have been the charm). I worked as a Supervisor for 2 years before being promoted to a Manager. After 11 years as a Manager, I accepted a Director position with Gun Lake Casino. I never would have imagined I would still be in the Casino industry this long, but it has been an awesome journey and I’m grateful to have gotten the opportunities."

Joining Gun Lake Casino: A New Chapter  

Q: What drew you to Gun Lake Casino, and how has your experience been since joining?  

"I had coincidentally applied for a Director position a couple of years prior to accepting my current role. At the time, I had been on grave shift for about 10 years and was just ready to make a change. I had a good support system at Firekeepers but knew that if I wanted to pursue higher goals in the industry, I would need to leave the property. It ultimately ended up involving the Chief of Police who reached out to me regarding the vacancy. We had worked together in the past, and he thought I would be a good fit. Gun Lake was a few months away from groundbreaking for a Hotel/Resort expansion, so I saw a perfect opportunity to come into a department that was in a natural position to grow."  

The Unique Challenges of Casino Security  

Q: What are the biggest challenges of overseeing security operations in a casino environment?  

"I think the challenge in gaming, or hospitality for that matter, is that the people you are dealing with are the same ones you want to come back the next day. There are 26 Casinos in Michigan, but they are fairly spread out. So, a large number of our clientele are very local guests. On top of the normal things seen in the corporate side of Security, we have to deal with Advantage players, fraud, cyber, soft targeting, gaming regulations, tribal regulations, and all the issues that come with a hotel. On top of all of this, we are a couple of months away from opening our Oasis venue. This is something totally new to this area, and only a handful of places have something similar. It is a large glass dome structure with 3 separate pools, swim-up bars, palm trees, a stage for concerts, and cabanas for entertaining. So, we are continuing to encounter new challenges as our growth moves forward."  

Strategies for a Safe and Secure Environment  

Q: Casino security requires a unique approach. What are some key strategies you use to maintain a safe and secure environment?  

"I think one of the largest advancements we have seen has to do with the intentionality of our training program. When I arrived, we had a very informal process that was largely HR-driven. Over time we have evolved our training into an Academy-style structure. We onboard new Officers, they spend 2 weeks with a Training Officer, and then they get about a week on their own to get some understanding of the Casino. Following this, they are scheduled for a New Officer Security Academy. This provides them with more in-depth information, skills, and certifications to help them along the way. On top of the gaming side of education, they are put through handcuffing, PPCT, and AHA CPR to prepare them for the floor. Additionally, we provide a Veteran Officer academy that gives more in-depth trainings and certifications."  

"Outside of the training piece, leveraging software and new technology has been very beneficial to being a more proactive Security department. ID checking software that integrates with our current reporting platform, weapon detection software, and AI advancements with some of our existing programs have all been good experiences as we look to embrace technology."  

Balancing Security with Customer Experience  

Q: How do you balance customer experience with security measures to ensure guests feel both safe and welcomed?  

"The property adopted and strives to achieve a 4-diamond rating, so with that, there was an overhaul of our entire customer service training program. At the core, all of our team members go through a customer service training piece that centers around the specifications to achieve this rating. On top of that, we utilize the 7 Grandfather teachings and incorporate them into as much of our training curriculum as possible. Those are Humility, Bravery, Honesty, Wisdom, Truth, Respect, and Love. With all of our Officers having this foundation, it made the development of our de-escalation program easier to revolve around these core teachings. With training in both Verbal Judo and our Management trained in the REID technique, the balance between Security and Customer service is much more achievable." 

The Role of Technology in Modern Casino Security  

Q: What role does technology play in modern casino security, and how has Gun Lake Casino adopted new innovations?  

"Technology clearly holds a large space in the future of the Security industry. All it takes is going to a show like ISC or GSX to see that companies are investing millions to capture a space in this market. With advancements in AI, new software solutions, autonomous technology, and the advancements in existing technologies, it’s very clear that this is the direction the future is headed. I’ve always been more than willing to test out new ideas as opposed to waiting to see what everyone else is doing."  

Addressing Today’s Biggest Security Threats  

Q: What are the biggest security threats facing casinos today, and how are you addressing them?  

"I think most of our biggest threats are very similar to most others in the Security industry. While we obviously deal with the gaming side of things, my biggest concerns are:  

Cybersecurity Risks: This has made the news over this last year, as several large Casino properties were hit with Cyber-attacks. Dealing with these issues I have found is way more complex than just adding MFA. Coordinating with your insurance carrier to make sure your cyber coverage is enough, having a dedicated IT Security team, and doing ongoing penetration testing is all very important to help mitigate some risk. 

Internal Theft: This tends to be a smaller scale, yet more frequent threat that most companies are going to face. Whether it is theft of time, assets, products, or information, internal theft is an ongoing threat. Having a proactive Surveillance department, an active internal Compliance team, and good auditing and reporting channels have all been crucial to addressing this theft. 

Soft Targeting: The low likelihood, high impact situations that we have seen in the industry continue to pose challenges to how to mitigate risk while maintaining a welcoming approach. Strong partnerships with our local and federal resources, information sharing, and ongoing training have all been an ongoing part of our risk reduction/mitigation."  

Staying Ahead of Evolving Threats  

Q: How do you stay ahead of evolving threats such as cyber risks, fraud, and internal theft?

"Staying ahead requires:  

Continuous Education: Keeping educated on emerging threats and mitigation strategies.
Regular Audits: Conducting frequent assessments to identify and address vulnerabilities.
Technology Upgrades: Investing in the latest security technologies to enhance protection."

Q: Are there any industry-wide trends or advancements in security that you see shaping the future of casino protection? 

“Some of the biggest trends I am seeing in the gaming sector have been:

Integration of Artificial Intelligence: Enhancing threat detection and response times. 

Biometric Systems: Improving identification and access control measures.

Collaborative Security Networks: Sharing intelligence across the industry to combat common threats. Gaming has kept a very restrictive information-sharing posture for a long time, but over the last 5 years, that trend has reversed. I have seen a huge influx in invitations to communities and groups that are sharing very specific details on what works/doesn’t work specific to both our industry and our local community." 

Collaboration with Law Enforcement & Regulatory Agencies  

Q: How do you work with local law enforcement and regulatory agencies to ensure compliance and safety? 

Collaboration involves intentionality. We are very fortunate to have our own Tribal Police department that has been very active in both response and training. As a group, we co-host several trainings a year that are opened to other local law enforcement agencies. Additionally, we partner with State and Federal agencies to assist us with training and development of response plans. We have had our State Police bomb squad, the Secret Service, the Human Trafficking Training Center, and several other agencies out with the goal of developing a robust and prepared Security Department."  

Training & Crisis Management  

Q: What training programs or initiatives have you implemented to keep your security team prepared for various situations?  

"Outside of the Academy options that I spoke about earlier, some of the more impactful training programs have included: 

Scenario-Based Training: We utilize our Table Games training room to set up scenarios with actors to play out situations that our Officers may face. This gives us the opportunity to see how an Officer will react prior to them actually being thrown into the situation on the floor. Additionally, this gives us the opportunity to provide real-time feedback, correction, and guidance to any challenges that they may have faced. 

Certification Courses: Encouraging continuous professional development and specialized certifications. All of our Management are PPCT instructors, we have CPR instructors and Stop the Bleed instructors. This gives us the ability to train and certify our Officers as they come to the department. Additionally, we send our Management to REID interview and interrogation advanced, Medical First Responder, and Tribal Homeland Security courses.

Cross-Departmental Training: Due to the demand that has been created on property by seeing these trainings, we have opened many of our trainings to outside departments. Not only does this help our property be more prepared as an organization, it also helps build rapport and confidence between departments."  

Q: How important is crisis management planning, and what steps has Gun Lake Casino taken to be ready for emergencies?  

"Crisis management is vital. When I started with the property, one of the first tasks assigned to me was to dismantle the Emergency Action Plan and build it from the ground up. Talk about a good way to develop a strong understanding of the process. Thankfully the Indian Gaming Association has a template that they developed to aid in this process. While a lot of it required heavy lifting, the template made understanding what it would look like a lot easier. Once this document was finalized, it came down to training and understanding what everyone’s responsibilities would look like. One way we addressed this was by providing every department a pocket-sized flip book that they are issued that details the who/what/where for an emergency response."  

Leadership Lessons & Advice for Aspiring Professionals  

Q: What leadership lessons have you learned throughout your career in security?  

"At the end of the day, no matter how much evolves with technology, Security is a person-driven industry. It will still require an individual to know how to treat people, how to adapt to situations, and how to think on their feet. On top of this, Security by nature is not a revenue-generating department. It costs money, and it’s an often-overlooked area, and one of the first to get budgets cut. Having a seat and a voice at the table has always been a huge part of being proactive and having a voice heard."  

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring professionals looking to enter the casino security industry? 

"Know that it isn’t the movie Casino. While we certainly do deal with a lot of 'fun' things, there is a lot of mundane stuff that fills the much larger gaps of the job. It is definitely an industry that offers a higher level of professionalism to the industry, but knowing what you are getting into and aligning your expectations is probably the largest challenge I see with new hires."  

The Future of Gun Lake Casino

Q: What excites you the most about your role, and what goals do you have for the future of Gun Lake Casino? 

"The continued growth of our property as well as the Tribe’s desire to diversify their portfolio has been exciting. The property itself has been in a perpetual state of expansion and will continue to do so as the market demands. The opening of the Oasis in a couple of months is going to bring a whole new demographic to the property, as well as expand our market beyond the competition. We have a skilled executive team here, so seeing a lot of the plans that are in the works come to life has me continuing to develop more and more new goals for the future."  

Final Thoughts  

Brett Miller’s journey from firefighting to leading security at Gun Lake Casino highlights the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and strong leadership in the security industry. His insights into casino security—balancing safety with guest experience, leveraging technology, and fostering collaboration—provide valuable lessons for security professionals across industries. As Gun Lake Casino continues to grow and innovate, Brett’s forward-thinking approach ensures that security remains a top priority while enhancing the guest experience.

Do you have insights to share? Contact us here and let's talk!