A casino is a place where people gamble on games of chance or skill. The term may refer to a single establishment or an entire network of facilities. Modern casinos range from massive resorts to small card rooms. They can be found worldwide, including on cruise ships and in land-based locations such as Las Vegas. Casinos also operate in many states that have legalized gambling and on American Indian reservations where they are not subject to state anti-gambling laws.

While musical shows, lighted fountains and elaborate themes help to draw in the crowds, casinos would not exist without the games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and other games provide the billions in profits that casinos earn every year. In addition, something about the presence of large sums of money encourages some people to cheat or steal in order to win. For this reason, casinos spend a great deal of time, effort and money on security.

In addition to a physical security force, most casinos have a specialized surveillance department that uses closed circuit television to monitor the casino floor. The spies of the casino industry are tasked with looking for any suspicious activity, and they work closely with local police to respond to calls for assistance or reports of definite criminal activity. In most cases, the two departments work together very well and have been successful in preventing crime.