A casino is a place where people can play gambling games. Casinos add a variety of other entertainment activities and amenities to their gambling operations, but they would not exist without the billions of dollars in profits from games of chance like slots, blackjack, poker, baccarat, craps, roulette and keno that provide the income for casinos. Some casinos also feature restaurants and shopping centers. Stage shows and other entertainment are offered to attract customers.
The large amounts of money handled within a casino create the potential for cheating and theft, either in collusion between patrons or independently by staff members. To counter this risk, modern casinos employ a combination of physical security forces and specialized surveillance departments. These departments work in close cooperation to prevent crime, and their efforts have been very successful.
Because every game in a casino has a built in statistical advantage for the house, it is very rare that a casino loses money on a given day. This virtual assurance of gross profit allows the casino to offer extravagant inducements to big bettors. These can include free spectacular entertainment, luxury hotel rooms, reduced-fare transportation and even limo service or airline tickets. Casinos often display certificates from independent testing agencies, such as eCOGRA, to reassure players that their games are fair.
The first casinos were built in Nevada, where laws permit gambling, but they spread quickly after other states realized the financial benefits. Currently, the Las Vegas area has the most casinos in the United States. The next largest concentration is in Atlantic City, New Jersey and then Chicago. Native American casinos are growing rapidly as well.