A casino is a place where people can play games of chance and win money. A modern casino is like an indoor amusement park for adults, with the vast majority of entertainment (and profits for the owner) coming from gambling. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and other games of chance are what provide the billions in annual revenues that casinos bring in. Often, casinos are lavish facilities that feature restaurants, stage shows and dramatic scenery. Some have even been designed to look like castles, pyramids or replicas of famous world landmarks.
The most popular games of chance in a casino are poker, slots and table games such as blackjack, baccarat and roulette. Some casinos also offer less common games of Far Eastern origin, including sic bo, fan-tan and pai gow. Casinos may also feature racetracks, golf courses and other forms of recreation.
Casinos use technology to control the flow of money and to monitor gaming activities. Chips with built-in microcircuitry are used to monitor betting amounts minute by minute; roulette wheels are electronically monitored for statistical deviation from their expected results; and video cameras monitor players to catch cheating or other violations of the rules. In addition, most modern casinos are equipped with special security departments to patrol the premises and respond to calls for assistance or reports of suspected crime.
While the mob has long controlled many of America’s most famous casinos, real estate investors and hotel chains now have deep pockets and have been able to purchase out the mafia. However, the casinos must still contend with government crackdowns on organized crime and the negative economic impact of compulsive gambling on local economies.
