A Casino is an establishment that houses a variety of gambling activities. In modern times, the term casino often refers to a lavish place that includes restaurants, entertainment and other extras for patrons to enjoy in addition to traditional gambling activities. However, there have been less lavish places that housed gambling activities and were still technically casinos.
While a casino is often associated with extravagant hotels, musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers, the bulk of its profits come from games of chance such as slot machines, blackjack, roulette and craps. These are the games that provide the randomness needed to generate billions in profits each year for casinos across the country.
Something about gambling encourages people to try to cheat, steal or scam their way into a big jackpot, so casinos spend an enormous amount of time and money on security. The most obvious measure is the presence of security guards, but there is much more to effective casino security than bodyguards. Dealers keep their eyes on their own games, so they can quickly spot blatant cheating like palming, marking or switching cards or dice. Table managers and pit bosses have a wider view of the action, and they are able to watch for betting patterns that may indicate cheating.
Casinos also reward their biggest spenders by offering comps (free goods or services). For example, some casinos offer players free hotel rooms, meals and tickets to shows if they gamble enough. Others offer players a card that they can swipe before each game to track their play and tally up points that can be used for free slot or table games, buffets or even limo service and airline tickets.