A casino is a gambling establishment where games of chance are played and gamblers bet money on the outcome of those games. Some casinos add stage shows, restaurants, free drinks and other luxuries in order to attract customers, but the fundamental reason a casino exists is to provide people with a chance to win money by gambling.
Casinos earn billions in profits every year from patrons who play games of chance like slot machines, roulette and blackjack. The house has a built in advantage over each game, which can be as low as two percent but adds up over millions of bets. These earnings provide enough profit for the companies, investors and Native American tribes that own and operate casinos. Casinos are also popular with tourists who spend money gambling and shopping in their hotels and other facilities.
To help control losses and maximize profits, a casino uses sophisticated surveillance systems to monitor patrons and the games themselves. Cameras in the ceiling, for example, track every table change and window to prevent cheating or other problems. Computers constantly compare game results with expected values to catch any statistical anomalies. In addition to the high-tech “eye-in-the-sky,” casino floors are filled with staff who can quickly spot any suspicious activity and alert security personnel. In the 1990s, casinos also began using technology to supervise games themselves. For instance, some roulette wheels have built in microcircuitry that enables the casino to track and display the exact amount wagered on each spin.