What Is a Casino?

A casino is an entertainment establishment that offers gambling services. It may feature musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and elaborate hotels. But a casino’s most important assets are its games of chance. These include slot machines, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps. These games provide the billions in profits that casinos rake in each year. Each game has a built-in advantage for the house that can range from two percent to more than ten percent, depending on how the game is played.

In the United States, the largest casinos are located in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. However, the gaming industry is expanding globally. In Europe, the Casino of Baden-Baden is an elegantly appointed, high-end facility that focuses on aesthetics and quality rather than quantity.

Casinos attract gamblers by offering a wide variety of games and by providing perks. These perks, known as “comps,” encourage gamblers to spend more money and reward them for their patronage. They can include free hotel rooms, meals, show tickets and limo service.

Because large amounts of money are handled within a casino, there is a temptation for staff members and patrons to cheat and steal, either in collusion or independently. This is why casinos invest so much in security. Cameras are positioned throughout the casino to monitor players and spot any suspicious activity. Casinos also employ pit bosses and table managers to watch over individual tables and look for blatant cheating, such as palming, marking or switching cards or dice.