A casino is a place where people can play gambling games. It may also have restaurants, bars, stage shows, and other attractions. But it is the games that provide the billions of dollars in profits that casinos bring in each year. The games are not always easy to win, but they are exciting to play. They include slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and poker.

In modern casinos, technology is used not only for security, but to oversee the games themselves. For example, in a technique called “chip tracking,” betting chips with built-in microcircuitry communicate with computer systems at the tables to enable casinos to monitor the exact amounts being wagered minute by minute and warn staff quickly of any statistical deviation from expected results. Computers also control roulette wheels and shuffled decks of cards.

Some of the most important aspects of casino management involve preventing cheating and stealing by patrons and employees. Given the large amount of money handled within a casino, this is a constant threat. Casinos use a variety of measures to deter these crimes, including surveillance cameras throughout the facility.

Casinos try to make their gambling products as attractive as possible to potential customers by offering a variety of complimentary goods or services, known as comps. These can include free meals, hotel rooms, tickets to shows, and even limo service and airline tickets for high rollers. But economic studies have shown that the net effect of a casino on a community is negative, due to the shift in spending away from other forms of local entertainment and the cost of treating gambling addictions.