A casino is a place where games of chance are played and gambling is the primary activity. Casinos offer a variety of perks to attract patrons, including free spectacular entertainment, transportation and elegant living quarters. They are often designed with bright colors and gaudy decorations to stimulate the senses and encourage patrons to gamble.

Although casinos do not guarantee that a patron will win, they are virtually guaranteed to earn a profit on every bet placed within their facilities. The edge, which is built into the house rules of the specific game, may be very small—lower than two percent, for example—but it is enough to give casinos a substantial revenue stream. In addition to this edge, casinos generate income by charging fees to players, known as the vig or rake.

The 21st century casino is increasingly focusing on high-stakes customers who gamble for significant amounts of money. These high rollers are rewarded with comps (free merchandise) and special rooms, where the stakes can be in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Security personnel monitor the casino floor and the activities of patrons, looking for blatant cheating and other irregularities. For table games, pit bosses and managers watch over each game with a broader view, making sure that patrons aren’t colluding or switching cards or dice. Casinos are also equipped with technology that monitors the results of specific bets, such as the use of microcircuitry in betting chips that interact with electronic systems to record and oversee the amounts wagered minute-by-minute; and roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover any statistical deviation from their expected outcomes.