A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. While musical shows, lighted fountains, lavish hotels and shopping centers may draw the crowds, casinos would not exist without games of chance like slot machines, blackjack, roulette and craps that give them the billions in profits they bring in every year.

Casinos also depend on a host of other activities to keep them in business, including offering complimentary items and services to “good” players. These perks are called comps and may include free hotel rooms, food, show tickets or even limo service and airline tickets. The amount of money you spend gambling in a casino determines how much the casino considers you to be a good player and thus how many comps you will receive.

In addition to the usual amenities, some casinos employ sophisticated technology to monitor patrons and their activities. For example, in some table games, the betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that communicates with a central computer system to oversee the exact amounts wagered minute-by-minute, and roulette wheels are electronically monitored for statistical deviations from expected results. These systems are designed to detect cheating by both patrons and workers in collusion or on their own. Casinos also have cameras everywhere that provide an eye-in-the-sky view of all the action. These camera feeds are recorded and reviewed by security personnel. They can be shifted to focus on specific suspects or to ignore the entire floor.