Whether you’re into hitting the slots, putting on your best poker face or throwing dice at the craps table, casinos are the place to satisfy that gambling itch. From the bright lights of Las Vegas to the Wild West towns that still have a few old-fashioned poker rooms, casino’s provide a fun way to spend your hard earned cash – if Lady Luck smiles upon you, that is.

Something about gambling seems to encourage people to try to cheat or steal their way into winning a jackpot, but casinos devote a large amount of time, money and security to prevent these incidents. Elaborate surveillance systems offer a high-tech “eye-in-the-sky” view of every table, window and doorway, and can be directed to focus on specific patrons by security workers in a separate room filled with banks of security monitors. Many games also have established patterns of play, and it is easy for security people to spot when someone deviates from the norm.

Casinos bring in billions of dollars each year for the companies, investors, and Native American tribes that own them, as well as local and state governments that collect taxes and other fees. But they aren’t without their risks. While the majority of casino patrons are honest, a few individuals take advantage of the loosely regulated gambling environment to make ill-advised investments. These nefarious gamblers can cost the casino a lot of money and lead to expensive lawsuits. That’s why most major casinos have very high levels of security and heavily regulated operations.