Casino is a gambling establishment that offers a variety of games and prizes. While casinos are best known for their gambling and high-end hotels, some also offer spas, restaurants, bars, swimming pools, and other attractions to attract a wide range of patrons.

Casinos often have high-tech surveillance systems, which monitor every inch of the casino floor and allow security personnel to zoom in on suspicious patrons at any time. The technology also allows the casino to track the amount of money wagered on each table and alert the table manager when betting patterns indicate a possible cheating scheme.

Something about gambling (perhaps the presence of large amounts of cash) seems to encourage both patrons and staff to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently; this is why most casinos spend a great deal of time, effort, and money on security measures. Some are more elaborate than others: the routines of casino games follow certain patterns that make it easy for trained dealers to spot a cheat; video cameras in the ceiling can be adjusted to focus on specific tables or windows; and roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover any statistical deviation from their expected results.

In the past, mob money flowed freely into Reno and Las Vegas, helping casinos to grow and becoming a major source of revenue for many towns. However, as real estate investors and hotel chains became more interested in casinos and had a lot more money than the mobsters did, they bought out the mob interests and started their own gambling enterprises, which now operate without any Mafia interference. In fact, mobster involvement in casinos is now rare, as federal and state anti-mob laws have made it very dangerous for mafia members to be involved with them.