A casino, or gambling house, is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Many casinos are built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops and cruise ships. Some casinos host live entertainment such as concerts and stand-up comedy.
Although musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers draw in the crowds, casinos would not exist without games of chance: slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and baccarat provide the billions in profits raked in by U.S. casinos each year. The underlying advantage of every casino game can be as low as two percent, but when multiplied by the millions of bets placed by patrons each day, it earns casinos enough money to build elaborate hotels, flamboyant fountains and replicas of pyramids, towers and famous landmarks.
While casinos do not accept monetary donations, they often reward frequent players with free hotel rooms, meals, show tickets and even airline tickets. These freebies are called comps and are based on the amount of time and money a player spends at the casino. To be eligible for comps, a person should ask the casino host or information desk for details.
A casino’s security begins on the floor, where employees keep a close eye on all activity. Dealers watch for blatant cheating like palming or marking cards; pit bosses and table managers have a wider view of the tables and can spot betting patterns that could indicate collusion. Cameras also monitor all activities from the ceiling or through one-way glass.