A casino is a place where people gamble by betting on games of chance. They may be as large as a full-scale resort and as small as a card room. Most casinos are located in the United States, but there are also several operating in other countries. Casinos are often located in or near cities, where they attract tourists and locals alike.

A large amount of currency passes through a casino, and the money won or lost by patrons can be very significant. Because of this, casinos employ many security measures to deter theft and cheating. Security personnel patrol the casino floor and respond to calls for assistance and reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity. They may use a combination of physical and specialized surveillance, such as closed circuit television (CCTV), to monitor casino activities.

Casinos make billions of dollars each year, which is shared among the casinos’ owners, investors and Native American tribes. But studies indicate that the net value of a casino to a community is negative, because casinos shift spending from other forms of entertainment and the costs of treating gambling addictions offset any economic gains.

Something about the casino environment seems to encourage players to try to cheat or steal, either in collusion or on their own. Casinos spend a huge amount of time and money on security. Despite this, many people still try to beat the house. These stories have led to a number of books, including Ben Mezrich’s Busting Vegas, which describes how MIT students beat the Monte Carlo Casino at blackjack.