A casino is an entertainment venue that attracts patrons by offering gambling games, including slot machines, blackjack, poker, craps, and roulette. These games generate the billions in profits raked in by casinos each year. Casinos also offer other forms of entertainment, such as musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers, to draw in visitors.
Casinos have many goals when it comes to keeping patrons happy and content, the main one being minimizing their awareness of the passing of time. To do this, casinos use carefully designed lighting and opulent décor that creates an atmosphere of wealth and luxury. Casinos also give patrons free food and drinks to keep them occupied and less concerned about the money they are losing. Casinos also make sure patrons have the ability to withdraw cash by placing ATM machines in strategic locations.
A casino’s security system starts on the floor, where the casino employees have a close eye on the games and the patrons to spot cheating or suspicious behavior. Table managers and pit bosses look at the games with a wider view, noticing betting patterns that could indicate a patron is cheating or attempting to steal money from the table. The broader view is enhanced by the high-tech “eye-in-the-sky” surveillance systems that let casino security staff watch every table, window and doorway, allowing them to pinpoint suspicious behavior in a matter of seconds. For extra measure, a physical security force patrols the casinos and responds to reports of suspected crime or suspicious behavior.