A casino is a gambling establishment with a lot of glitz and glamour. They offer a range of games and entertainment, from slots and video poker to table games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps. These games are what bring in the millions in profits that casinos generate every year.

A few casinos have become famous in their own right – the Bellagio fountain show in Las Vegas and the Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco are just two examples. Others are known for their elegant poker rooms, such as the Casino Baden-Baden in Germany’s Black Forest region, or their plethora of blackjack and roulette tables, like the one at the Venetian Macau hotel on the Cotai strip in Hong Kong.

Casinos make money by exploiting a built in statistical advantage for the house, or “house edge.” This can be as low as 2 percent of total bets placed in a game, but over time it adds up to huge casino profits. That money is used to pay for the hotels, lighted fountains and other attractions that attract people to gamble.

Some casinos have special security features, such as catwalks above the floor with one-way mirrors so surveillance personnel can watch patrons without being seen. Many casinos also employ a series of rules and patterns to prevent cheating. Dealers and pit bosses follow certain routines, and table games have specific betting patterns that can signal a possible cheating attempt.