A casino is an establishment where a variety of gambling activities take place. It features games of chance, but can also include card and table games like blackjack and poker. A casino may also feature a stage show and dramatic scenery to encourage patrons to gamble. It is often combined with hotels and resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions.
A key goal is to keep the patrons happy, and so the interior design typically tries to give off an air of expensive taste. Lush carpets or richly tiled hallways, along with carefully designed lighting, help create an atmosphere of luxury and excitement. The casinos on the Las Vegas strip take this to an extreme, with their giant chandeliers, fountains and breath-taking art pieces.
Casinos also put a lot of time and effort into security. Because of the large amounts of money that are handled in a casino, there is a strong temptation for patrons and staff to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. Security measures start on the floor, where pit bosses and dealers watch over the games and look for blatant manipulation of cards or dice. Each dealer also has a “higher-up” person tracking them, watching their betting patterns and looking for any other signs of cheating or suspicious activity.
Many people think that the largest casino is in Las Vegas, but that’s actually not true. America’s biggest casino is actually in Ledyard, Connecticut, and it is operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Indian tribe.