A casino is a place to gamble, play games of chance, and win or lose money. In addition to offering an abundance of gambling options, casinos have other attractions that draw visitors like musical shows, lighted fountains and lavish hotels. While these features may attract the crowds, the vast majority of revenue (and profits for the owners) comes from games of chance like slots, roulette, blackjack, craps, baccarat and poker.
Considering the huge sums of money that flow through them, casinos are vulnerable to cheating and theft by both patrons and staff. For this reason, many casinos spend a great deal of time and money on security. The most basic measure is to keep the entire casino under constant surveillance; this is done by using cameras located throughout the facility.
In addition, there are a number of other techniques that are used to deter theft and cheating. For example, the way that dealers shuffle and deal cards and the expected reaction of players all follow certain patterns; this makes it easier for security personnel to spot something out of the ordinary.
These days, a casino is a complex and sprawling facility that usually has a specialized security department, a physical security force and a centralized surveillance system known as the eye in the sky. In addition to these technological measures, casinos also enforce security through a variety of rules and regulations. For instance, a player is not allowed to hold cards hidden from view and must always have their winnings in plain sight.