Part III: Business & Regulation · Casino Marketing & Player Management

Proposition Player (Prop)

Player Classification

An individual paid by the casino to participate in games, typically poker, using their own funds, who covers their own losses and retains their winnings while receiving compensation from the house for their time and rake paid. Proposition players differ from shills in that they risk their own money rather than house funds. Props are directed by management regarding which games to play and when to leave, and their purpose is to start new games, keep short-handed games from breaking, and maintain game viability during slow periods. Props are generally identified to other players upon request.

In practice

Common in poker rooms but also used in other game types. Proposition players are regulated in most jurisdictions with specific licensing requirements and restrictions.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.