A casino is a place that offers games of chance for money. It may also offer other luxuries to attract patrons, such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. In the past, some places that housed gambling activities could simply be called a casino, but modern casinos typically add many more amenities to help them stand out from competitors.

A major part of a casino’s operation is its staff. Most casinos hire croupiers (dealers) to handle the gaming tables and slot machines. These employees are specially trained to make the most of gambling profits. They often know more about the rules of a particular game than anyone else, and they are also expert at encouraging gamblers to spend more money.

Other casino staffers focus on customer service. They provide perks like free meals and drink tickets to encourage people to play, and they keep track of how much gamblers spend. In addition, some casinos offer “comps” to high-spending customers that can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Many other casino employees are dedicated to ensuring that gamblers feel safe and secure. Security personnel patrol the casino floor and monitor security cameras from a room filled with banks of security monitors. Using a high-tech eye-in-the-sky system, they can watch every table and window from one central location. They can even adjust the cameras to watch specific suspects. Casinos spend a lot of money on security because something about gambling seems to encourage people to cheat, steal and lie in order to win.