A casino is a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Customers gamble by playing games of chance, or in some cases games requiring skill, such as poker, blackjack and video poker. Most casinos offer a mix of traditional and modern gaming machines and tables. Casinos may also feature entertainment venues such as theaters, restaurants and bars. Some are located in exotic locales such as Monte Carlo, and others are themed with elaborate features such as fountains, towers and replicas of famous buildings.
Something about gambling (probably the presence of large amounts of money) seems to encourage people to cheat, steal and scam their way into a jackpot, which is why casinos spend so much time, effort and money on security. Most modern casinos employ both a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department, which uses advanced technology to monitor patrons and games in real-time. Cameras placed throughout the floor provide a high-tech “eye in the sky” that can be adjusted to focus on suspicious activity.
Because each casino game has a built in mathematical advantage for the house, it is very rare for a casino to lose money on any one day. As a result, they frequently give out free merchandise or services to players known as comps. These can include meals, hotel rooms, drinks while gambling and even limo service and airline tickets for big spenders. In addition, casinos often use their statistical information to track players’ play and to warn them of any deviation from expected results.
