A casino is a place where a variety of games of chance can be played. The games of craps, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and slot machines are what bring in the billions in profits that casinos make each year. A few luxuries, like stage shows and dramatic scenery, are added to draw in the crowds. But the casinos would not exist without these games of chance.
A statistical advantage for the casino is built into each game, and that edge makes the casinos money. Over time that income provides the revenue to build huge hotels, lighted fountains, shopping centers and replicas of famous buildings. It also provides the revenue to host world-class entertainment shows and pay the salaries of thousands of employees.
The casino industry is not without its problems. Gambling addicts can devastate family finances and ruin careers. In addition, gambling destroys property values and shifts spending away from other forms of local entertainment. Local businesses suffer, and the economic losses caused by compulsive gamblers outweigh any gains a casino might have.
Because so much money moves around casinos, there are always temptations to cheat and steal. Both patrons and staff may attempt to do so, either in collusion or on their own. To counter these risks, casinos are heavily secured and equipped with technology to monitor the games and identify any statistical deviation from expected behavior. Security cameras are one method; chips with microcircuitry interact with electronic systems to record the exact amounts bet minute by minute, and roulette wheels are monitored electronically to detect anomalies.