What Is a Casino?

A casino is a special establishment where gambling-related entertainment is provided. It is usually combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourist attractions. Several countries have legalized casinos.

Casinos provide a variety of gambling activities, including slot machines, poker, blackjack, roulette, craps and baccarat. Some even feature a full range of live entertainment. Some also offer luxury suites and other amenities to attract high rollers.

Generally, casinos are a social environment designed around noise, light and excitement. Patrons are encouraged to interact with each other and to shout encouragement. Alcoholic drinks are available from waiters circulating the floor, while nonalcoholic beverages and snacks are offered free of charge. The games themselves are generally supervised by employees. Casinos are increasingly using technology to ensure the fairness of their games. For example, some betting chips have a built-in microcircuit to enable casinos to monitor exactly how much money is wagered minute by minute; electronic systems watch over the results of roulette wheels to detect any statistical deviations.

In the past, many casinos were controlled by mobster families. However, as real estate developers and hotel chains developed deeper pockets, they began buying out the mobsters. Federal anti-mob laws and the possibility of losing a casino license at any hint of mafia involvement help to keep the mob out of modern casinos. Despite these efforts, crime still occurs in some casinos. The article discusses the history of casinos, how they make their money and what is known about their security measures.