Gambling and Casino Security

A casino is a building where people can gamble and play games of chance. While musical shows, lighted fountains and lavish hotels help lure customers in, the vast majority of casino profits come from gambling. Slot machines are the most popular games and casinos earn a huge proportion of their income from them. Players place a bet and then pull a handle or push a button to spin varying bands of colored shapes on reels (either actual mechanical reels or video representations of them). If the right pattern appears, the player wins a predetermined amount of money. There is no skill involved with playing these machines.

While slot machine winnings are unpredictable, table games like blackjack, poker, baccarat and roulette have mathematically determined odds that give the house an edge over the players. The advantage is called the “house edge.” In games where players compete against each other, the house makes its profit by taking a small percentage of each pot or by charging a “rake.” The house edge can be reduced by avoiding certain strategies and by choosing games with lower house edges.

Casino security starts on the casino floor, where surveillance personnel watch patrons and their actions closely to catch blatant cheating. The way dealers shuffle and deal cards, the layout of betting spots on a table and expected reactions and motions all follow patterns that make it easier for security personnel to spot when something is amiss.