A casino is a public place where a variety of games of chance can be played and gambling is the primary activity. In addition to the obvious games of chance, casinos have restaurants, free drinks and stage shows to add to the entertainment value. Casinos have become more sophisticated as they strive to attract players and keep them coming back. They have also evolved into large complexes that offer a wide array of other non-gambling activities and luxury amenities.

Security is another key issue. Most casinos are heavily guarded. In many cases, the employees are trained to spot a number of blatant cheating strategies, such as palming or marking cards and dice. A high-tech eye-in-the-sky system allows security personnel to monitor all the tables, windows and doorways at once. Cameras can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons from a control room.

Most casinos rely on high-stakes gamblers for much of their profit. These high rollers are enticed with extravagant inducements, such as free spectacular entertainment, luxury hotel rooms and transportation. Lesser bettors are offered reduced-fare transportation, meals and gambling credits.

The casino industry has grown tremendously over the years. Today, there are casinos that rival resorts with their size, beauty and mind-blowing number of games. Many are family-friendly and even have hotels, restaurants, bars, swimming pools, spas and other nongambling activities. They may be named after a city or region, but they are all designed to impress and lure gamblers and their money.