Casino is the place to go if you want to try your luck with a game of chance. While musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers help draw in customers, casinos would not exist without games like slot machines, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps and keno. These games provide the billions of dollars in profits raked in by casinos every year.
While something about the concept of gambling seems to encourage cheating, stealing and scamming, casinos spend a lot of time, money and effort on security. This starts on the casino floor, where employees have a focused view of patrons and can spot blatant cheating, such as palming or marking cards. Table managers and pit bosses have a broader view of their table games, watching for betting patterns that could signal cheating. Casinos also rely on surveillance cameras and electronic monitoring systems to protect their assets.
While casinos focus on security, they also provide perks to attract gamblers and reward those who play regularly. These perks are called comps, and they can include free meals, drinks and show tickets. Many of these programs are similar to frequent-flyer cards, but instead of accumulating miles, they accumulate “points” that can be exchanged for cash. Comp programs help casinos build a database of gamblers and use the information for marketing purposes.