A casino is a gambling establishment that offers a variety of games of chance and has a number of amenities such as restaurants, stage shows and dramatic scenery. There are some casinos that are more lavish than others, but all of them provide a gambling experience for patrons.
A lot of people enjoy taking weekend bus trips to the nearest casino and gambling their hard earned money away. Unfortunately, something about gambling (probably the large amount of money involved) encourages some people to cheat and steal in order to beat the house. This is why casinos spend a great deal of money on security.
Security starts on the casino floor, where employees watch over the games and the patrons. Dealers are trained to look for blatant violations of the rules of fair play, such as palming or marking cards. Table managers and pit bosses have a broader view over the tables and can spot betting patterns that may indicate cheating. All of the action is video recorded for later analysis.
Casinos make their money by charging a fee to players who win at games of chance. This fee is known as the vig or the rake. Many of the games in a casino have mathematical odds that ensure that the house will always have a small advantage over the players. These edges can be as low as two percent, but they add up quickly with millions of bets. The house edge is what makes casinos able to afford to build hotels, fountains and replicas of famous landmarks.