What Is a Casino?

A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and other tourist attractions. Some casinos have a luxurious feel to them with an emphasis on elegance and service. Others have a more modern and minimalist design. Many casinos have security measures in place to prevent cheating and stealing by patrons, either in collusion or independently. The most common measure is a set of security cameras located throughout the facility.

Because of the large amounts of money that are handled within a casino, security is an important issue. Theft is a major concern, and there are often undercover police officers in the casino. In addition to this, most casinos employ casino guards who are stationed throughout the building and can be called upon at any time. Another common security measure is a system of catwalks that allow surveillance personnel to look down through one way glass at the tables and slot machines below.

While casinos do make money from food, drink and other activities, the breadwinner is still the games themselves. Each game has a mathematical expectancy against the house, and this is what determines how much money a casino can make in a day. To maximize profits, a casino must know both the house edge for each game and its variance (standard deviation). This information is gathered by mathematicians who specialize in gaming analysis. A casino that does not employ a dedicated team of these professionals must outsource this work.