What Is a Casino?

A casino is a gambling establishment that offers games of chance and is operated by a gaming license. It provides entertainment and is a major source of income for the owners. The modern casino is like an indoor amusement park for adults, with musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and elaborate themes, but the vast majority of its profits (and fun) come from gambling. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno bring in billions of dollars in earnings every year.

Casinos have a long history. In the early days, legal businessmen were reluctant to invest in casinos because they had a seamy image as a den of vice, but organized crime figures supplied the capital and influenced game results through intimidation and violence to casino personnel. In the 1990s, technological advances made casinos more sophisticated, with video cameras overseeing all areas of operation and even the tables themselves. Casinos have also adopted chip tracking, in which chips with built-in microcircuitry enable the casinos to monitor the amount wagered minute by minute and warn them of any anomaly; and automated roulette wheels are regularly monitored to discover statistical deviations from their expected results.

Security at casinos is a major concern. Casinos typically employ a physical security force to patrol the facility and respond to reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity. In addition, a specialized department usually operates the casino’s closed circuit television system, which is used to monitor all activity in and around the gaming floor.