A casino is a place where people can gamble and bet on the outcome of games of chance or skill. Many casinos offer high-end hotel accommodations, gourmet restaurants and world-class entertainment. Others are simply a collection of gaming rooms. Some are large and elaborate; for example, the Bellagio in Las Vegas is famous for its dancing fountains and offers top-notch gambling and hotel amenities. The film Ocean’s 11 helped to popularize the notion of a casino as an elite establishment that draws high rollers from all over the world.
Casinos earn money by providing a statistical advantage to their patrons, which is known as the house edge. This edge may be quite small, but it adds up to billions of dollars in profits for casino owners every year. Casinos can also earn a commission from the games themselves, such as poker and blackjack, by taking a percentage of the players’ bets.
Besides the games themselves, casinos employ a wide range of security and surveillance measures to prevent illegal activity. This includes checking IDs, monitoring security cameras and keeping records secure. Most casinos use sophisticated computer systems to monitor their games and detect anomalies. For instance, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that enables them to track the exact amount of money wagered minute by minute, and roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover any deviation from their expected results. Casinos also employ staff to closely watch high-stakes card games and separate casino managers for each game type.