As the opening of its MGM Springfield venue draws ever closer, giant American casino operator MGM Resorts International is reportedly set to inaugurate a local training school on Dec. 6 aimed at anyone wishing to work as one of the new property’s dealers.

According to a report from the Associated Press news service reprinted by The Caledonian-Record newspaper, the $960 million MGM Springfield will begin welcoming gamblers from September. It is to be the first of two such Las Vegas-style resort casinos coming to Massachusetts alongside the future Wynn Boston Harbor development from rival operator Wynn Resorts Limited.

In order to have the MGM Springfield development officially licensed in 2014, Las Vegas-headquartered MGM Resorts International was required to guarantee that it would employ at least 35% of the Hampden County venue’s workers from the city of Springfield while 90% are expected to come from the wider region. Now it is reportedly on the lookout for those who want a job on the future property’s 125,000 sq ft gaming floor with the new school due to offer tuition in poker, blackjack, roulette, craps and mini-baccarat alongside carnival games.

The Associated Press reported that the new downtown school is to be run by the Massachusetts Casino Career Training Institute, which is a joint venture from MGM Resorts International, Springfield Technical Community College and Holyoke Community College. Prospective students will reportedly be able to begin registering from tomorrow for an initial raft of courses that begin from February 26.