Casino is a place where gamblers put up money for the chance to win. Generally speaking, casinos have a built-in mathematical edge and, over time, the millions of bets make it possible to earn billions in profits. Casinos are often adorned with fountains, towers and replicas of famous landmarks, and offer food, drinks and stage shows to keep patrons entertained. But, at the end of the day, a casino is only as good as its games.

The most common casino games are slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno. Card games, such as baccarat (or chemin de fer in the United Kingdom or trente et quarante in France) are also found in many casinos. Many casinos now employ sophisticated technology to help them supervise the games and detect any statistical deviations from expected results. For example, some casinos use betting chips with built-in microcircuitry that allows them to monitor the exact amounts placed minute by minute; roulette wheels are electronically monitored to reveal any anomalies.

Because large sums of money are handled within the confines of a casino, there is always the potential for cheating and stealing by both patrons and employees. As a result, casinos spend a great deal of money and effort on security. The most obvious measure is security cameras throughout the casino floor. Some casinos also have special catwalks on which surveillance personnel can look down directly on the tables and slot machines. In addition, a number of other security measures are used to prevent cheating and theft.