In a capitalist society, casinos are in business to make money. Successful ones rake in billions every year for the companies, investors and Native American tribes that own and operate them. State and local governments also reap casino revenues in the form of taxes, fees and other payments.

In addition to a variety of games, modern casinos offer a wide range of other entertainment options. Many of them feature restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. They also have elaborate security systems. With so much money changing hands, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. In such cases, the casino has to be able to spot these improprieties as they occur. This requires more than just a high-tech eye in the sky, but an intricate system that watches tables, windows and doors and can be directed to focus on specific suspicious activity by security workers who monitor the video feeds.

Gambling on casino games has long been a popular pastime. Some of the most famous examples are in Las Vegas, where casinos attract millions of visitors each year. In 2005, the average casino gambler was a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above-average income. Approximately half of all casino gambling takes place in Nevada.

A few of the more popular casino games include poker, blackjack, roulette and craps. In addition, some casinos feature traditional Far Eastern games such as sic bo (which spread to several European and American casinos in the 1990s), fan-tan, and pai gow. Some casinos even feature slot machines and horse racing gambling.