A casino is a place where a variety of games of chance are played. It also offers a number of other amenities to attract and keep customers, such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. The concept of a casino as an entertainment facility with gambling activities as its primary focus probably did not develop until the 16th century, although it is clear that the activity of gambling itself predates recorded history.
Today, the modern casino is like an indoor amusement park for adults, with the vast majority of the entertainment (and profits for the owner) coming from gambling. Slot machines, black jack, roulette, craps, keno and more provide the billions in profit raked in by casinos every year.
While the glitz, glamour and entertainment value of modern casinos are the main attractions, there is a darker side to this industry. Something about gambling seems to encourage people to cheat, steal and scam their way into a jackpot. That is why casinos spend a great deal of time, effort and money on security.
Some casinos have a large physical security force, while others employ a more sophisticated eye-in-the-sky approach. In some cases, the same company that operates the casinos owns the high-tech surveillance systems. These cameras can be adjusted to focus on any suspicious patron and are monitored in a separate room filled with banks of security monitors. The cameras are even able to record video, which can be reviewed later if suspicious activity is detected.