Casino is a place where gamblers risk money on games of chance. These games may be a table game, like blackjack, or slots, or a dice-based game, such as craps. Some casinos have a variety of these types of games, while others specialize in one or more. Casinos are designed around noise, lights, and excitement, and most of them offer free drinks (alcoholic or nonalcoholic) and snacks to attract customers.

Security is a huge concern in any casino. Casinos spend a lot of time, effort and money on security measures. This starts on the floor, where employees keep their eyes peeled for blatant cheating such as palming, marking or switching cards or dice. There are also “higher-up” people watching each dealer and table manager, checking for betting patterns that indicate cheating. Some casinos have catwalks above the floor, where surveillance personnel can look down through one-way glass at what is happening on the tables and slot machines below them.

Something about gambling seems to encourage cheating and theft. Despite these efforts, many casinos are victimized by players who try to steal or scam their way into winning a jackpot. In addition, studies show that compulsive gambling costs communities a great deal of money in lost productivity and in treating problem gamblers.