A casino (or gambling house) is a place that houses games of chance and allows patrons to gamble. Casinos often offer free drinks, stage shows and dramatic scenery to attract customers and enhance the experience of gambling. They also have a high level of security and adhere to responsible gambling standards.

A casinos security starts on the floor, where every game is watched by a dealer or other employee to make sure that all games are played correctly. Dealers are trained to spot blatant cheating like palming, marking cards or switching dice. Table managers and pit bosses watch over the table games with a broader view, watching to see whether a patron is making suspicious betting patterns. The casino has a whole other department dedicated to surveillance, with a high-tech “eye in the sky” that can be adjusted by security workers to focus on certain tables or suspicious patrons.

Aside from security, casinos have many rules and regulations that patrons must follow to ensure their safety. For example, they must keep their bets within a certain range and cannot win more than the casino can afford to lose. Casinos must also calculate the house edge and variance for each game, which are important factors in determining their profitability. These calculations are done by mathematicians or computer programmers who work in the gaming industry and are known as gaming mathematicians or analysts. These people also play the games to ensure that they are fair.