A casino is a place where gambling activities take place. Its luxuries may include stage shows, free drinks and dramatic scenery but it is basically a place that offers gamblers the chance to try their luck at a game of chance. The casino business brings in billions of dollars each year for the companies, corporations, investors and Native American tribes that run them. It also benefits state and local governments through taxes, fees and payments for services. In addition to the traditional games of chance, many casinos feature Far Eastern gaming such as sic bo and fan-tan.
The casino’s built-in statistical advantage over the patron, known as the house edge, makes it very rare for a gambler to win more than the casino can afford to pay out. This gives the casino a virtual assurance of gross profit over time, which it invests in elaborate hotels, fountains, pyramids, towers and replicas of famous landmarks. The use of chips rather than real money is another way casinos reduce the risk of losing a gambler’s funds by making it less likely that the gambler will lose track of his or her money.
The perks that casinos offer to lure gamblers to spend more money are called comps. The most high rollers are offered extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment, transportation and elegant living quarters. Less expensive comps are available to the lower end of the gambler scale as well, such as free meals, drinks and show tickets. The casino also uses cameras and other technological measures to ensure the integrity of its gambling operations.