A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. It may be combined with a hotel, restaurant, retail shops, or other tourist attractions. Casinos are most often located in areas that attract gamblers and offer large amounts of money, such as Las Vegas, Nevada; Atlantic City, New Jersey; and Puerto Rico. They can also be found on American Indian reservations, where state laws do not prohibit gambling.
The casino industry is regulated by government authority in some jurisdictions and the operators are licensed. Casinos are designed to encourage gambling by offering free or reduced-fare entertainment, food and drinks while gambling, and other incentives. They also make a profit from the games themselves, either by taking a percentage of each bet or charging an hourly fee for playing.
Because of the high volumes of cash handled, casinos are a tempting target for cheating and theft by both patrons and staff. Security measures are therefore a major concern for those running a casino. Typically, cameras monitor all activities in the casino. Casino employees are trained to observe tampering and other suspicious behavior. Table managers and pit bosses oversee the tables with a broader view, looking for blatant cheating such as palming or marking cards, as well as for patterns of betting that could indicate collusion between players. In addition to video surveillance, some casinos use other technology: betting chips with built-in microcircuitry enable casinos to monitor exactly how much is being wagered minute by minute; roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover any deviations from their expected results.