Casino is a place where gambling is the primary activity and it houses a wide variety of games of chance. The modern casino adds luxuries to help attract players like restaurants, free drinks, stage shows and dramatic scenery. But there have been far less lavish places that housed gambling activities that would still be considered casinos.
In the United States, 51 million people-a quarter of the population over age 21-visited a casino in 2002. That’s a lot of money, so casinos need to focus on security. The first line of defense is the casino employees themselves, who are trained to look for a variety of cheating tactics. Dealers watch out for blatant palming or marking, and pit bosses and table managers are trained to see betting patterns that could signal cheating. Cameras and video recording systems also play a large role in casino security.
To encourage gamblers, casinos create an atmosphere of noise and excitement, and use a host of other tricks. Casino walls are often bright and gaudy, and red is a popular color because it is thought to make people lose track of time. Craps and roulette appeal to big bettors, and are usually offered at a low percentage advantage. Slot machines are the economic backbone of many American casinos, with the majority of revenue derived from high volume and fast play at sums ranging from five cents to a dollar or more. Many of these machines have bells, whistles, and chimes to add to the stimulation.