A casino, sometimes called a gambling house, is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are most often built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos host live entertainment such as musical shows and comedy acts. Casinos may also serve alcohol and have sports betting areas. The term casino can also refer to a gaming software supplier.
Although a casino is often associated with the United States, the concept has spread throughout the world and there are now hundreds of them in operation. Some are quite large, with multiple floors and thousands of slot machines. Others are smaller, with a few dozen tables and fewer games. The gambling business is booming, with the casinos making billions in profits each year.
While entertainment, luxury accommodations and shopping are important components of a casino, they would not exist without games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, keno and baccarat bring in the money that keeps the doors open. The brightly colored and sometimes gaudy floor and wall coverings are designed to stimulate and cheer gamblers on. It is not uncommon to hear shouts of encouragement from players, and there are no clocks on the walls, since people tend to lose track of time when they are gambling.
The elegant spa town of Baden-Baden was a playground for European royalty and the aristocracy 150 years ago, but these days its casinos cater to an eclectic mix of customers from around the globe. Modern casinos are heavily regulated and use sophisticated surveillance systems to ensure that no one is cheating or taking advantage of the system.
