A casino is an establishment for gambling. Most casinos offer games of chance and some allow skillful players to gain a substantial edge over the house. Many casinos also provide luxury services such as restaurants and hotels. Some are even featured in popular movies and TV shows like Ocean’s Eleven.
A modern casino is a complex structure. It usually has a security department divided into two parts: a physical force and a specialized surveillance team. The former patrols the casino and responds to calls for assistance and reports of definite or suspicious criminal activity. The latter operates the casino’s closed-circuit television system, which acts as a “eye in the sky” to monitor activities on the gaming floor. The combination of the two departments has been largely effective in deterring crime.
The casino is an industry that generates enormous profits. In fact, according to the IBIS World Gambling Report, it is the largest industry in the world. Despite this success, the casino business is prone to problems just like any other industry.
Among the most common problems are cheating and theft. Given the large amounts of money involved, both patrons and staff may be tempted to steal or cheat, either in collusion or independently. This has led to the development of sophisticated security measures. These include catwalks in the ceiling that allow surveillance personnel to look down on the tables and slot machines with one-way glass. In addition, most casinos employ a number of computer programmers and mathematicians to develop software for statistical analysis of game results.