A casino is a place where people pay to play games of chance and skill, with some of them offering entertainment shows. It is legal to gamble at most casinos, but players must be of legal age and obey the rules of the establishment. Customers can exchange money for chips that are used to place wagers on the various games. Some of these games require only luck, but most have a mathematically determined advantage for the house. This advantage is called the house edge.
The opulent spa town of Baden-Baden became a playground for Europe’s royalty and aristocracy 150 years ago, but these days its casino draws players from around the world. Its storied gambling den is home to the usual assortment of poker, blackjack and slot machines and boasts a state-of-the-art sports betting area with 60 plasma televisions.
In the modern casino, security is usually divided between a physical force and a specialized surveillance department. While the former patrols the casino floor and responds to calls for help or reports of suspicious activity, the latter monitors activities from above using closed circuit television. Both teams work in close collaboration to keep the casino safe from theft and cheating, which has been a problem in the past. Some casinos also employ catwalks in the ceiling, which allow security personnel to look down on players from above through one-way glass. Other casino security measures include electronic surveillance and the use of secret cameras hidden in decorative objects.