Casinos are places where people can gamble, and they usually include table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps and video poker. The gambling part is only one aspect of casinos, though; they also provide food and beverage services and stage shows. Some of them are opulent glass and steel temples to overindulgence, while others have a more refined tropical theme. Regardless of their theme or style, casinos all make money through gambling.
Gambling is a social activity, and the casino’s atmosphere is designed to encourage people to interact with one another. There are often several dealers working the same game, and players often shout encouragement or make suggestions to one another. Many casinos use a brightly colored scheme to inspire their customers, and they may have themed restaurants, bars or shops. Some have a theater or auditorium for stage shows.
During the 1990s, casinos dramatically increased their use of technology for security purposes. They installed cameras to watch patrons and employees, and they used computerized systems to supervise the actual gaming itself. For example, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry to allow casinos to monitor the amounts wagered minute by minute and warn them of any anomaly; roulette wheels are monitored electronically to detect statistical deviations quickly. In addition to these measures, casinos use a variety of other techniques to prevent cheating or collusion.
The casino industry has had a checkered history. During the 1950s, many legitimate businessmen were reluctant to invest in casinos because of their seamy reputation. Mobster money, however, flowed into Las Vegas and Reno, and some organized crime figures even took sole or partial ownership of some casinos. The mobsters were concerned primarily with the revenue that casino games could generate, but they often abused their influence to manipulate the outcomes of specific games.
Today, the casino is a highly regulated business that draws visitors from all over the world. While casinos are still largely associated with the cities of Las Vegas and Reno in Nevada, Atlantic City in New Jersey and various American Indian reservations, they have spread to many other locations as well.
In addition to offering a wide variety of gambling activities, casinos are also major economic generators for the communities in which they operate. Studies have shown that casino revenues help local governments fund vital services, such as public safety and infrastructure projects, and they raise the level of wages in the immediate neighborhood. Casinos also create a multiplier effect on the surrounding economy, generating employment in restaurants, hotels, retail businesses and tourist attractions. They have also been known to stimulate real estate investment in the surrounding area. While not all communities can afford to have a casino, most that do are reaping the benefits.
