Security at a Casino

The security at a casino starts with its employees, who keep a vigilant eye on the casino’s patrons and the games. Dealers, for example, focus on their own game and can spot signs of cheating, while table managers and pit bosses keep watch over the casino’s table games. Each of these employees is tracked by a higher-up employee. These people are trained to recognize any signs of unusual behavior, including if someone is taking advantage of their position and the amount of money they are spending.

High rollers are a special category of casino patrons. They spend more money than average players and play in special rooms separate from the main casino floor. Their stakes are often thousands of dollars. High rollers are profitable for casinos because they get lavish personal attention and receive comps worth thousands of dollars. While high rollers generate disproportionately large profits, they are also responsible for much of a casino’s social costs. These costs, along with the lost productivity of problem gamblers, may far outweigh any economic benefits that a casino might generate.

Casinos use computers and video cameras to monitor players and track their activity. Moreover, many of these casinos reward their loyal customers with comps, or complimentary items, as incentives to spend more money. During the 1970s, Las Vegas casinos became famous for their free buffets, discounted travel packages, and free show tickets. These were all part of their marketing strategy to increase the number of people visiting the city. The goal was to fill the casino floor and hotel rooms with people, which in turn, would drive gambling revenue.