A casino is a public place where people can play games of chance or skill. It is also a gathering place for socializing and entertainment. Casinos have restaurants, bars, nongambling game rooms, swimming pools and even spas. They generate billions of dollars each year in profit for their owners, investors, and Native American tribes, as well as for state and local governments.
Because so much money is handled within casinos, both patrons and employees may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. To prevent such activities, casinos have extensive security measures. Cameras mounted throughout the facility provide a constant eye-in-the-sky view of the entire casino floor. Security personnel also watch tables and other gaming areas with a more focused view, looking for blatant cheating like palming or marking cards or dice. In addition, table managers and pit bosses are on constant watch for suspicious betting patterns that might signal cheating.
To attract and keep customers, many casinos offer free goods or services to high rollers. These freebies are called comps and can include everything from restaurant meals to hotel rooms to limo service and airline tickets. They are based on the amount of money gamblers wager and the length of time they spend gambling. To qualify for these perks, ask a casino host or information desk employee how to get your play rated.
In the early years of legalized gambling, mobsters provided the capital to establish Nevada’s first casinos. They were willing to take on the seamy image of casino gambling because they already had plenty of cash from illegal rackets such as drug dealing and extortion.