A casino is a gambling establishment that offers a variety of games and services for players. It also includes restaurants, hotel rooms and other amenities. The first modern casinos were built in the 16th century as a gambling craze spread through Europe. Casinos are regulated by gaming control boards/commissions, which are responsible for creating and overseeing rules and regulations in order to protect gambling patrons and the integrity of the industry.

Something about the excitement of a casino and the opportunity to win a lot of money seems to encourage people to cheat, steal or otherwise try to gain an unfair advantage over other patrons. This is why casinos spend a great deal of time, effort and money on security. They employ highly trained, professional security staff and a wide variety of surveillance technology, from catwalks that allow surveillance personnel to look down on tables through one way glass to sophisticated systems that monitor every move at a table or slot machine.

Modern casinos are often divided into two distinct departments: physical security and a specialized surveillance department that operates the closed circuit television system, also known as “the eye in the sky”. While the physical security force patrols the premises and responds to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity, the surveillance department constantly monitors the entire casino from cameras mounted in every room, on ceilings and in the air. In this way, surveillance personnel can instantly spot any unusual activity and quickly react to it. Casinos also offer a variety of incentives to keep players happy and spending more money. The perks can range from free drinks and food to discounted transportation, hotel rooms and even show tickets.