A casino is a gambling establishment that offers a wide variety of games of chance to its patrons. It typically adds a host of extra luxuries such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows to make it a tourist attraction. Casinos are almost always located in highly populated areas where they can attract gamblers from a large geographical area. In the United States, the Las Vegas Valley has historically dominated the industry and is now followed by Atlantic City and New Jersey. Casinos are also found in Native American casinos, and in some European cities, particularly in Paris.
Security is a big concern for casinos. There is a certain amount of risk inherent in allowing large amounts of cash to be handled within a relatively small space, and there is always the possibility that casino employees or patrons will attempt to cheat or steal. Consequently, casinos devote much time and money to security measures.
There are a number of different security systems used by casinos, including cameras, which are positioned throughout the casino and can be adjusted to focus on suspicious individuals. Likewise, a high-tech “eye-in-the-sky” system allows security workers to watch the entire casino floor at once from a room filled with banks of monitors.
Many people believe that casinos are a major contributor to the problem of compulsive gambling in the United States. While they generate significant revenue, studies indicate that the costs associated with treating gambling addiction and the loss of productive labor by compulsive gamblers far outweigh any potential economic gains.
