A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. These include table games like blackjack, roulette and craps, as well as slot machines. Casinos may also host poker games and tournaments. Many casinos are built into or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourist attractions. Some are themed and designed for particular audiences or events, such as those featuring Elvis Presley. Some are operated by government-sanctioned entities, while others are private businesses.

Most casino games have a built in house advantage, which earns the casino money over time. This edge is small, less than two percent, but it adds up over millions of bets. The casino’s profit is known as the vig or the rake. It is one of the few profitable business models in existence and gives the owners enough cash to build elaborate hotels, fountains, towers and replicas of famous landmarks.

In addition to the obvious security measures, some casinos have sophisticated systems to monitor their patrons. Cameras mounted on the ceiling and in the windows track all the movements of the casino’s guests. These are analyzed by security workers in a room filled with banks of security monitors. The cameras can be adjusted to focus on specific tables or suspicious people, making it harder for them to cheat or steal.

Casinos also reward their best players with free goods and services. These can include free hotel rooms, meals and tickets to shows. High rollers can even receive limo service and airline tickets. The freebies are offered as a way to encourage more play and generate more profits.