What Is a Casino?

A casino is a gambling establishment with slot machines, table games (such as poker, blackjack, and roulette), and often entertainment shows. Guests exchange money for chips to play the games, and casinos typically have minimum age requirements and other rules that must be followed. Some casinos have elaborate themes designed to transport visitors into a different world, with ornate decor and dazzling lights.

Regulation and Security

A casinos’ security system starts on the floor, where employees keep a close eye on patrons to make sure that nothing goes awry. Dealers are trained to spot blatant cheating such as marking, palming, or switching cards or dice. Table managers and pit bosses have a broader view, monitoring the entire table and noting suspicious betting patterns. And the casino’s high-tech “eye-in-the-sky” surveillance systems give the casino a constant, panoramic view of all the action.

Casinos make their money by giving the house a built in mathematical advantage over all the bets placed. That house edge can be a tiny fraction of one percent, but it adds up over time and millions of bets. Casinos hire mathematicians to figure out exactly how much the house edge is for each game, and computer programmers to design software that keeps track of everything.

In addition to making money, casinos also boost the economy of their region by attracting tourists and creating jobs. However, economic studies show that problem gambling erodes local spending and that the cost of treating gambling addictions offsets any gains from casino revenue.

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Cape Town, South Africa