A casino is a gambling establishment that houses games of chance and skill. Casinos range from massive resort casinos to small card rooms and even cruise ships. Casinos are largely found in the United States and include Atlantic City, New Jersey, Las Vegas, and other cities; there are also casinos located on Native American reservations and in several countries around the world. In addition to providing entertainment, casino gaming generates billions of dollars each year for casino owners, corporations, investors, and the governments that regulate and tax them.
Because so much money is handled in a casino, it is inevitable that both patrons and employees will attempt to cheat or steal. Consequently, modern casinos spend a significant amount of time and money on security. Casinos employ a combination of physical and specialized surveillance personnel to monitor activities. In addition, video cameras and other electronic monitoring systems are used to supervise game play.
Many casino games have built in statistical advantages for the house. These advantages may be slight, but they add up over millions of bets and can allow a casino to make substantial profits. Casinos also earn revenue by offering comps (free goods and services) to their best players. These can include free hotel rooms, shows, dinners, limo service and airline tickets.
Casinos use a variety of design and lighting strategies to stimulate and encourage their patrons. Bright, gaudy colors are often used to create a lively and energetic environment. In the past, some casinos even employed live bands and acrobats to entertain their guests.
