Casinos are gambling establishments where patrons can play various types of games and win money. They are typically built near hotels, resorts, retail shopping centers and cruise ships.
Some casinos are even incorporated into larger resorts and hotels, often serving as the focal point of the entire destination. In addition to offering a variety of gambling games, casinos can also offer other amenities such as food, drinks and non-gambling activities.
Security
To protect its customers, a casino employs sophisticated surveillance systems that watch every table at once, change window and doorway angles and track the movements of each patron in real time. Video feeds are stored and can be reviewed later if a crime is committed.
Gambling games
Casinos offer a range of betting options on card and table games, such as blackjack, roulette, poker, and craps. Most of these games have a house advantage; in other words, the casino takes a small percentage of the pot.
Slot machines
The main economic benefit of a casino is the income it receives from slot machine wagers. These machines are usually operated by computer, which randomly determines payouts based on the number of coins the player bets.
Craps
A variant of the roulette game, craps is popular in American casinos and is favored by big bettors, who can win large amounts of money without risking too much of their own cash. Most casinos take less than a 1 percent advantage on this game, but some demand a much higher percentage to attract the big winners.