A casino is a place where gambling games are played. Historically, casinos were public places that primarily housed a variety of different games of chance, but the modern casino adds a wide range of additional luxuries to help attract gamblers, such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. Casinos may be located inside hotels, shopping centers, or other tourist attractions.
Casinos make money by charging a percentage of all bets placed to the house. This is known as the vig or rake, and it is what makes some casinos so profitable. The vig is generally lower for slot machines than it is for table games. Casinos also earn revenue by charging players for the use of their services and facilities. For example, some casinos have hotel rooms and restaurants that charge higher prices than similar rooms in neighboring hotels. Other fees include a cover charge for entering the casino and mandatory tipping of table dealers and other service workers.
Because large amounts of cash are handled within a casino, it is important to protect the money from theft and cheating. This is why casinos spend a lot of time and money on security measures. The most basic is surveillance cameras throughout the casino, but a more important element is employee training. Dealers are trained to spot a variety of cheating methods, including palming, marking and changing dice, as well as recognizing betting patterns that could indicate cheating. Table managers and pit bosses are also trained to keep an eye on the whole table and see if anyone is cheating on other tables.