The Canadian provincial agency that oversees casinos in Quebec has warned protesting card dealers against wearing jeans on the job.

For several weeks, some of the province's 1,450 dealers, or croupiers, have been wearing union T-shirts to protest the installation of electronic Texas Hold'em poker machines in three casinos, The Gazette newspaper in Montreal reported.

The croupiers have been working without a contract since December 2006, and they are seeking a new one with changes to their pension plan, the newspaper said.

Their union announced beginning Thursday dealers would work in jeans to protest delays in negotiations.

However, the Loto-Quebec regulatory agency issued a statement saying that was illegal, as croupiers cannot wear pants with pockets, the Gazette said.

Union officials said unless talks begin soon, casinos would shut down July 25.

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