Security at a Casino

A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. While glitzy theaters, musical shows, shopping centers and hotels draw in the crowds, casinos would not exist without games of chance like slot machines, blackjack, craps, roulette and keno that give them billions in profits each year.

Modern casinos employ a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department that monitors the casino on closed circuit television, commonly known as an eye in the sky. These systems can be adjusted to focus on certain suspicious patrons by security workers in a separate room filled with banks of security monitors. The video feeds are recorded, making it easy to review security tapes if something goes wrong.

In addition to sophisticated surveillance technology, casinos use a host of other technologies to monitor the games themselves. For example, in a system called chip tracking, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry to allow the casino to see exactly how much each person is wagering minute by minute and warn them of any anomalies; and table games are routinely monitored by computer programs that keep track of the odds and payouts.

Many casinos also offer comps (free goods or services) to high-volume players, such as free rooms, meals and show tickets. To qualify for these perks, ask a casino employee or someone at the information desk how to get your play rated.