Casino (pronounced kah-sinoh) is an establishment for gambling. Modern casinos have evolved into massive resorts featuring hotels, restaurants, retail shops and even theme parks, but the vast majority of their profits still come from gambling. Table games such as blackjack, roulette, poker and craps and slot machines provide the billions of dollars in revenues that keep casinos afloat. They also make a lot of money for the investors, corporations and Native American tribes that own and operate them. Casinos are operated on land in the United States, as well as on cruise ships and riverboats. Some state and local governments have legalized them, while others restrict or ban them.
Although casinos are designed to stimulate gamblers’ senses of sight, sound and touch, their main attraction is money. To attract players, they offer free goods and services — known as comps — to encourage them to spend more time and money. These include drinks, food, hotel rooms, show tickets, limo service and airline tickets. Casinos are especially attentive to high rollers, who gamble in special rooms separated from the main floor and can bet tens of thousands of dollars a hand.
Because large amounts of currency are handled within casinos, there is always the risk that patrons and employees will try to cheat or steal, either in collusion with each other or independently. This is why casinos devote a great deal of effort and money to security. In addition to specialized surveillance equipment, most casinos feature an array of other preventative measures.
