Generally speaking, a casino is a place where customers gamble by playing games of chance. In addition, a casino may offer free drinks and other complimentary items. The casino’s business model ensures that they earn a profit from their activities.
Most American casinos demand that a player give an advantage of 1.4 percent to the house. This advantage is known as the house edge. In addition to the casino’s advantage, each game has a mathematically determined odds. Depending on the game, the house edge can be as low as two percent or as high as five percent.
Many casinos use a specialized security department to ensure the safety of their guests. Generally, this department is divided into a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department. The specialized surveillance department operates the casino’s closed circuit television system. The physical security force watches the casino floor and responds to calls for assistance.
In addition to keeping the casino safe, specialized security departments also ensure that the casino’s assets are protected. Using cameras, surveillance personnel keep a close eye on all casino patrons. They monitor the games for unusual behavior and blatant cheating.
Casinos spend a lot of money on security. In addition to the physical security force, they use video cameras to monitor the games. In some cases, they have cameras in the ceiling that watch every doorway and window. They can also adjust the camera’s focus to target suspicious patrons.