A casino, also known as a gaming establishment or gambling hall, is a facility where people can play various games of chance for money. It is a type of popular entertainment that is available in many countries and cultures around the world. Casinos are operated by governments, private corporations, or Native American tribes. They may be stand-alone facilities or attached to hotels and restaurants. In the United States, casinos are most often located in Nevada, though floating casinos operate on waterways and some states allow casino-type game machines at racetracks. Casinos are also found on some American Indian reservations and in the Bahamas.
The concept of the casino as a place to find all forms of gambling under one roof first developed in the 16th century during a gambling craze that swept Europe. Italian aristocrats often held parties at their homes, called ridotti, where they would wager on everything from the outcome of horse races to the outcome of a card game. Though technically illegal, the wealthy gamblers were rarely bothered by the Italian Inquisition or other legal authorities, and their parties became known as “casinos.”
Modern casinos employ a combination of physical security forces and a specialized department for surveillance. The physical security force patrols the facility and responds to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity. The specialized surveillance department operates the casino’s closed circuit television system, which is often referred to as an “eye-in-the-sky.” Casino cameras are designed to watch every table, window and doorway, and can be focused on specific patrons by security personnel.
Gambling is a huge industry that generates billions of dollars each year for the owners, investors, companies and organizations that operate casinos. It is also a major source of revenue for state and local governments, which collect taxes and fees from the casino’s patrons. However, critics point out that the economic benefits to a community from casino gambling are often offset by the social costs of problem gambling, which include higher unemployment rates, lost wages due to addiction, and increased crime.
In addition to their extensive array of table games, many casinos have several restaurants and bars. They offer free drinks, including alcoholic beverages, to all players and may have a variety of other special features to lure gamblers in, such as live music, shows and other entertainment. They are often adorned with fountains, statues and replicas of famous monuments and buildings.
Casinos rely on sound and sight to draw in customers, using bright lights and other decorations that stimulate the senses and are designed to appeal to human psychology. They are also constructed to create a festive and exciting atmosphere, and use noise and other stimulation to distract and entice gamblers from their losses. They may also entice gamblers with comps, which are free goods or services such as meals, rooms and shows. In 2005, a study by Roper Reports GfK NOP and TNS found that the typical casino gambler is a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above-average income.