A casino is an establishment where people gamble on games of chance. It also offers food, drinks and entertainment. Casinos earn their profits by taking a percentage of bets made by patrons. This profit is known as the house edge, and it varies by game. For example, a blackjack table has a house edge of about one percent. In contrast, a craps table has a much higher house edge, which can be over two percent. Casinos also make money by paying out winning bets and collecting vig from losing ones.

A casino has a variety of security measures in place to deter crime. These include cameras, which are often placed in areas that are accessible to patrons. In addition, some casinos have catwalks on the ceiling above the gaming floor that allow surveillance personnel to look down through one-way glass at activities on the table and slot machines. Casinos also employ various types of behavioral analysis to identify potential troublemakers.

Something about gambling (probably the presence of large amounts of money) encourages some players to cheat and steal, either in collusion with others or on their own. Because of this, casinos spend a lot of time and money on security. Casinos are heavily regulated by government agencies to ensure that they follow the rules.