Casinos are like indoor amusement parks for adults, with lighted fountains, musical shows and elaborate hotels drawing in the crowds. But they would not exist without games of chance, which provide the billions of dollars in profits raked in by casinos each year. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno are the main gambling draws.
Something about the casinos, though, seems to encourage cheating, stealing and scamming your way into a jackpot rather than relying on luck. As such, casinos spend a great deal of time and money on security.
Security begins on the floor, where casino employees keep a close eye on the games and players. Dealers, for example, are trained to spot blatant cheating methods such as palming cards or marking dice. The tables are overseen by pit bosses and table managers who watch for betting patterns that could indicate cheating.
A casino’s security also extends to its electronic systems, with a high-tech “eye in the sky” that watches every table, window and doorway. The cameras can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons by security workers in a room filled with banks of security monitors.
Something else to consider: Casinos are businesses, and they make money by charging customers a fee to play their games. That fee is known as the vig, and it can add up to a large sum over a long period of time. In addition, some casinos give comps to big spenders, offering free hotel rooms, meals and tickets to shows in exchange for large bets.