A casino is a gambling establishment where various games of chance are played. While musical shows, lighted fountains and elaborate hotels help draw in patrons, the bulk of a casino’s profits come from gambling. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno make up the bulk of the billions of dollars casinos rake in every year.

Despite the fact that most gamblers lose money, the industry is not without its dark side. Studies indicate that compulsive gamblers generate a large percentage of the revenues in many casinos, and that their behavior can harm local businesses and hurt property values. The costs of treating problem gamblers and the losses in productivity incurred by their addiction also cancel out any economic benefits a casino may bring to a community.

Casinos are also a target for theft and other criminal activity. For this reason, they spend a great deal of time and money on security measures. Often, there is a separate department specializing in surveillance that works in tandem with the physical security force to monitor all activities within the casino. Some modern casinos have high-tech “eyes-in-the-sky” that allow surveillance personnel to see all tables, window and doorways in the casino at once. The system can also be focused on specific patrons if necessary. Some casinos even have catwalks in the ceiling where security can look directly down, through one-way glass, on casino activities. This is particularly useful for watching for cheating and stealing, both in collusion or independently.