Generally, casinos feature a variety of gambling activities and offer complimentary items to players. These items can include food, drinks, show tickets or hotel rooms. In addition, some casinos also have a sports book to allow patrons to place bets on events. Traditionally, the main source of income for a casino is from the sale of slot machines, although other games such as blackjack and poker also contribute significantly.

Because of the high amount of money handled in a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. As such, casinos invest a great deal of time and money on security. Often, this involves a combination of patrols and the use of surveillance technology. Some casinos even employ full-time detectives to prevent crime.

Many casinos offer a range of traditional Far Eastern games, including sic bo (which became very popular in the United States during the 1990s) and fan-tan. They also offer more conventional casino table games, such as baccarat, roulette and blackjack, in addition to the usual array of card games. Some also offer a variety of regional games, such as two-up in Australia, banca francesa in Portugal and trente et quarante in France. Those who are big spenders can often earn comps (free goods and services), such as meals, room service, free or reduced-fare transportation, tickets to shows and even airline tickets.