A casino is a gambling establishment that offers a variety of games of chance. Most games have a component of skill, but in general the house always has a mathematical advantage over players. The casino profits from the gamblers’ losses by taking a rake, or a percentage of the money wagered, or by charging a service fee. Casinos also offer comps, or complimentary goods and services, to their best customers.
A haze of smoke, flashing lights and the sound of cheering patrons add up to the distinctive atmosphere of a casino. Some casinos are designed to be visually striking, with rich colors and elaborate interiors. Others are designed to appeal to the senses, with sounds of clanging coins and bells. More than 15,000 miles of neon tubing are used to light the Las Vegas Strip.
The modern casino has a high-tech surveillance system. Cameras in the ceiling monitor every table, window and doorway. The cameras can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons by security workers in a separate room filled with banks of computer monitors. In addition to technological surveillance, casinos enforce security through rules of conduct and behavior. For example, card game patrons must keep their cards visible at all times, and the casino imposes a strict dress code.
Casinos have a negative effect on their communities because they drive business away from other forms of entertainment and cause people to spend money they would otherwise save or invest. Moreover, studies indicate that compulsive gamblers generate a disproportionately large share of the casinos’ profits. As a result, some economists argue that the net value of a casino to a community is zero or even negative.