A casino is a building or room where gambling activities take place. Casinos are commonly located near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships and other tourist attractions. They also often feature live entertainment such as stand-up comedy, concerts and sports events. In military and non-military usage, a casino (also known as a kasino or a gaming house) is an officers’ mess.
While a casino may offer other forms of entertainment, the vast majority of its profits come from games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, craps and keno contribute to billions in profits for casinos every year. Musical shows, lighted fountains and elaborate hotels may help attract guests but the casinos wouldn’t exist without the games that give them their raison d’être.
With large sums of money being handled within a casino, security is an important aspect of its operation. Casinos usually have a dedicated physical security force and a specialized surveillance department. The security staff patrols the casino floor and responds to calls for assistance or suspicious activity. The surveillance team operates closed circuit television systems throughout the facility, enabling them to quickly spot any deviation from expected behavior.
In addition to these measures, casino security staff is trained to watch for any blatant cheating by patrons or employees. The smallest details are important, such as how the dealer shuffles and deals cards or where players place their bets on a table. These subtle nuances can alert security to any attempts at cheating or collusion.
