About Casino
A casino is a building that houses gambling games and the people who play them. It may also offer entertainment, such as musical shows and lighted fountains, shopping centers and hotels. The majority of a casino’s profits, however, come from gambling. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno are just some of the games that bring in billions of dollars every year.
The casinos of Las Vegas and Atlantic City draw visitors from all over the world. In addition, casinos are popping up all over the United States, including some in Native American tribal lands. In the last 20 years more than 100 new casinos have opened, primarily in California and Iowa.
Casinos can be quite luxurious, with opulent decorations and top-notch restaurants. They also employ many security measures, since large amounts of money are handled inside. The most important tool for preventing fraud and theft is cameras, which are located throughout the casino and can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons. Some casinos also have catwalks in the ceiling that allow surveillance personnel to look directly down, through one-way glass, on the tables and slot machines.
Gambling is fun and exciting, but it can be addictive. It’s no wonder that more than 51 million Americans—a quarter of all adults over 21—visited a casino in 2002. From the glitz of the Las Vegas Strip to the illegal pai gow parlors of New York’s Chinatown, these temples of temptation are all about gambling.