A casino is a place where people can gamble by playing games of chance. It may have extra features such as restaurants, free drinks, stage shows and dramatic scenery to attract customers. The word casino is most often used to describe a large gambling establishment in Las Vegas or Reno, but it can also refer to any other place that houses gambling activities. It can also refer to a smaller, less lavish establishment that offers only a few games of chance.
Most casinos have a built in advantage for the house that can range from very small (less than two percent) to more significant, depending on how the games are played and the rules that are followed. This is called the “house edge” and is what keeps the casino in business. Table games like blackjack, roulette and craps have the largest house edge of all casino games, while slot machines and video poker have the lowest.
Security in a casino starts on the floor, where casino employees keep an eye on patrons and their behavior to spot cheating. They may also be on the lookout for atypical betting patterns that might indicate cheating or collusion between players. In addition, many casinos use high-tech surveillance systems that provide an “eye in the sky” with cameras that can be directed to watch any table or window at any time and can even be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons.