A casino is a facility that offers a variety of games of chance and, usually, gambling is the primary activity. Casinos provide an array of luxuries to lure patrons, including gourmet restaurants and free shows. In the past, more lavish casinos have been called hotel-casino, megaresorts, or even “palaces.”
While many of these games involve chance, some have an element of skill, like blackjack and video poker. The house edge, or mathematically determined advantage, ensures that the casino will make a profit on all bets placed, regardless of their outcome. This is different from other businesses, where a profit is only made when customers buy products or services that are worth the money they spend.
The earliest casinos were in Italian-speaking countries, where the word probably originated, but they later spread throughout Europe. The casino’s reputation for being a source of excitement and glamour attracted celebrities and the wealthy. In the United States, the first major casinos were in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
Casinos are susceptible to a range of security problems, both inside and out. Because large amounts of currency change hands, fraud and theft are always possible. Security measures include cameras in all areas, which are monitored by trained staff. In addition, some casinos have a high-tech, eye-in-the-sky system that monitors every table, window and doorway to prevent crime. Other techniques focus on the actual games themselves: chip tracking allows casinos to oversee exactly what players are betting minute by minute; and roulette wheels are electronically supervised to discover any statistical deviations from expected results.
