The casino industry is one of the most heavily regulated businesses in the world. But even if they did not have that government oversight, casino owners would still be among the most careful business operators in the world.

The reason is simple: It’s their money that’s at stake.

In lotteries, parimutuel betting and round (non-banking) games like poker, gamblers wager against each other, with the operator taking a piece off the top.

Casinos make almost all of their revenue from banking games. Craps in casinos is not street craps: Players are betting against a fund of money, a bank. Casinos act as the house, fading all of the bets of their customers.