A casino, or gambling hall, is a place where people can try their luck at games of chance. While musical shows, lighted fountains, elaborate hotels and even replicas of ancient pyramids and towers help draw in the crowds, casinos would not exist without games like poker, roulette, blackjack, craps, keno and baccarat. It is these games that provide the billions of dollars in profits raked in by casinos each year.

While the games themselves are largely based on chance, there is still some degree of skill involved in many of them. For example, a good poker player can often predict the outcome of a hand by studying the betting patterns of other players. In addition, the mechanics of a game like blackjack have been refined over the years to minimize the house edge.

With this virtual assurance of gross profit, casinos can offer big bettors extravagant inducements. Depending on how much money they wager, casino patrons can expect to be comped for free tickets to shows, hotel rooms, meals, reduced-fare transportation, even limo service and airline tickets.

While the vast majority of gamblers are honest, a significant number may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with other patrons or independently. For this reason, most modern casinos have extensive security measures. These typically include a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department, often operating closed-circuit television. Security personnel also look out for irregularities in the games themselves, using computerized systems to monitor tables and slot machines minute-by-minute.