A casino is a gambling establishment that offers a wide variety of games of chance and skill. It is the largest provider of such entertainment in the world and generates billions of dollars in profits annually. Modern casinos look like an indoor amusement park for adults and offer an array of entertainment, drinks and food. Slot machines, baccarat, blackjack, craps and poker are some of the popular casino games.
While a casino can have an element of skill, the majority of its games are based on pure chance and the house has a mathematical advantage over the players. To compensate for this, casino employees often give free items to frequent patrons (comps). These may include beverages, meals, hotel rooms or even limo service and airline tickets. Comps are given primarily to big bettors or those who spend the most time at the tables.
Due to the large amounts of money handled within a casino, security is an important concern. Staff and gamblers are both prone to cheating or stealing, either in collusion with each other or independently; thus, casinos employ security measures such as surveillance cameras and computerized monitoring systems. Some systems use chips with built-in microcircuitry that allow the casino to track exact betting amounts minute-by-minute and warn them immediately of any anomalies; roulette wheels are monitored electronically for statistical deviations from expected results.
While mob involvement in casinos has declined since the 1950s, legitimate businessmen with deep pockets have taken over the management of many casinos. Real estate developers and hotel chains are especially aggressive in purchasing and operating casinos. Mob-run casinos have the additional drawback of a tainted image due to their illegal racketeering and other criminal activities.
