What You Need to Know About Casinos

Casino, from the Latin word for “house,” refers to a place where people gamble. Today’s casinos are much more than that-they are multimillion-dollar entertainment complexes complete with hotel rooms, restaurants and retail stores. They also feature dazzling lights, elaborate themes and a wide variety of games of chance. Most states have legalized casino gambling, although some, such as Iowa and New Jersey, prohibit it. In many cases, casinos have sprung up on Native American reservations.

The most popular casino game is the slot machine, which is played by about half of all casino patrons. Card games, such as blackjack and poker, are second favorites. Other casino games, such as roulette and craps, are less popular. Even bingo and keno, which are usually considered minor attractions, draw only about 6% of all casino gamblers.

In order to keep patrons gambling, casino owners have learned to offer a wide range of “comps” (complimentary goods and services). A card that is swiped electronically before each visit allows the patron to earn points which can be exchanged for free meals, drinks or shows, or coupons for free slot play. Some casinos even offer limo service and airline tickets to big spenders.

Something about the atmosphere in a casino encourages cheating and stealing, which is why casinos devote so much time, effort and money to security. In addition to cameras and other technological measures, casinos enforce rules of conduct that discourage dishonest behavior. For example, a player at a table game must always keep his or her cards visible to the dealer.