Casinos are places where people gamble on games of chance such as slots, keno, poker and table games such as blackjack, roulette and craps. Casino owners make billions annually in profits thanks to these activities which also include restaurants, shops, stage shows and other attractions – some even have replicas of famous landmarks such as pyramids towers or even giant fountains!
Although casino entertainment helps draw customers in, most of the money made from gambling comes from gambling. Slot machines, baccarat (known in Europe as chemin de fer), chemin-de-fer, pai gow and blackjack are the most commonly played casino games while some European casinos also offer variants such as Caribbean stud poker and other card games as popular options.
Casinos are usually found in Las Vegas or other tourist-rich cities, though they can also be found elsewhere – Atlantic City in New Jersey; Reno/Lake Tahoe Nevada; Biloxi/Tunica Mississippi; Ledyard Connecticut and Macao China among others are home to casinos. A casino may also operate within an Indian reservation that does not fall under state antigambling laws or on riverboats that operate according to state regulations.
Many casinos have evolved beyond being mere gambling halls into elaborate resorts with restaurants, hotels and shopping centers – many even feature gondola rides, musical shows and other attractions – with Caesars Palace in Las Vegas likely being the best-known example with its three-ring rotating theater for live entertainment and celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Cher, Madonna and Mariah Carey appearing as stars to perform there.
Most casinos employ sophisticated electronic surveillance systems and computerized games; chip tracking relies on built-in microcircuitry to track how much money has been gambled each minute and warn the operator if any anomalies arise, while roulette wheels can be monitored electronically to quickly identify statistical deviations. Furthermore, casinos often offer comp programs with complimentary merchandise or services for regular patrons that range from hotel rooms and meals to limousine service or airline tickets for big spenders.
Some casinos are known for being glamorous and accommodating to high-rollers while others focus more on family fun. Many of the world’s largest casinos can be found in Las Vegas; however, there are also smaller establishments which focus on basic requirements instead.
Casinos may be operated by individuals, partnerships, corporations or government agencies. Early on in Nevada’s casino industry history – particularly during the 1950s – organized crime figures were major sources of funds for expansion and renovation efforts, particularly through personal ownership of some casinos owned by them as well as by threatening employee games in order to influence results through threat. Over time however, legal businessmen and hotel chains realized how lucrative this sector of the industry could be.
