A casino, also referred to as a gambling hall, is a facility where people can gamble. Casinos are most often associated with gambling, but some offer other types of entertainment such as concerts and shows. Casinos can be found in cities around the world, with Las Vegas being the largest.
A casinos business model relies on providing a profit through the sale of chips and tokens that can be redeemed for cash, or used to play games of chance. Most casinos have a fixed long-term advantage over players, which is the house edge. The house edge is mathematically determined by the rules of each game, but can be reduced through skillful play. Casinos employ various security measures to prevent cheating and theft by both patrons and staff. These include cameras, secure entrances and exits, and staff to monitor games.
Some casinos have catwalks that allow surveillance personnel to look down on the tables and slot machines from above. Other security measures include the use of a uniformed staff and strict table limits. Due to the large amounts of money handled within a casino, both patrons and employees may be tempted to cheat or steal, in collusion or independently. For this reason, most casinos have rigorous security measures.