A casino is a gambling establishment that offers various games of chance. It often combines gambling with other entertainment such as stage shows, restaurants, hotels and shopping centers. Casinos may also have an extensive security system to prevent cheating and stealing by both patrons and employees.
While casinos offer a variety of amenities, they would not exist without the billions of dollars in gambling profits they bring in every year. Modern casinos are like indoor amusement parks for adults, with dazzling decorations and a mind-boggling array of games. But even though they offer many attractions, the majority of a casino’s profit comes from games of chance such as slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, and keno.
Casinos use surveillance cameras and other technological systems to keep an eye on their patrons and the games themselves. For example, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that allow the casinos to monitor the amounts being wagered minute by minute and to immediately detect any statistical deviation from expected results. Some casinos even have catwalks above the gaming floor that allow security personnel to see directly down on game play through one-way glass.
Despite these technologies, the temptation for both patrons and staff to cheat or steal is strong. For example, a childhood friend of mine who worked at a casino in Atlantic City once told me that he had to quit his job because he was so disgusted by the number of people who stood at slot machines soiling themselves believing they were on a winning streak.