The casino is a place where people go to play games of chance. Although modern casinos have a wide variety of other entertainment options, like restaurants and stage shows, the vast majority of their profits come from gambling. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and other games of chance generate the billions of dollars that casinos earn each year.

There are more than 3,000 legal casinos worldwide. Most of them are located in Nevada, where gambling is legal under state law. However, casino gambling has also popped up on American Indian reservations that are not subject to state antigambling statutes.

Many casinos offer free goods or services to their loyal patrons, called comps. These can include meals, hotel rooms, show tickets and even airline tickets. The amount of money a patron spends at a casino and the type of game they play are used to calculate a player’s rating. If a person’s playing is above average, they are considered a high roller and may receive additional special treatment.

Most modern casinos employ a combination of physical security forces and specialized surveillance departments to protect their guests and assets. These personnel patrol the casino and respond to calls for help or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity. They work closely with a casino’s closed circuit television system (CCTV), which is known as the eye in the sky. Despite these precautions, both players and staff members sometimes try to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. These incidents are usually prevented by casino security.