A casino is a facility where customers gamble by playing games of chance or, in some cases, skill. The house always has an advantage over the players, and this is reflected in the odds for each game. These odds are mathematically determined and referred to as the “house edge.” Casinos earn money from the advantage they have over their customers through a commission on winning bets (known as the rake) and by offering complimentary items or comps. In addition, many casinos have restaurants and bars that serve food and drink.
In the United States, there are over 1,000 casinos. The largest concentration is in Las Vegas, Nevada, followed by Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Chicago. Large cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, and Baltimore have smaller concentrations of casinos, although there are casinos in those cities as well. Some states have prohibited gambling or limit it to specific games; other states regulate the number of casinos and the types of games offered.
Modern casinos use a variety of security measures. These include physical security forces and a specialized surveillance department. Video cameras are used to monitor the gaming area, and electronic systems allow casinos to oversee the exact amounts wagered minute-by-minute in each game and quickly discover any anomalies. Some casinos also use a variation of roulette called “chip tracking,” where betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that interacts with electronic systems to monitor the total amount wagered and warn players when the amount bet exceeds their intended target.