A casino, or gaming house, is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertainment events such as concerts and sports events. The term casino can also refer to a private club or a society that hosts gambling events.
Most modern casinos are highly regulated and have strict rules and policies in place to prevent cheating and other forms of irregularity. Elaborate surveillance systems provide a high-tech “eye in the sky” that is adjustable to focus on suspicious patrons. Video cameras are constantly monitored from a control room by security staff for any signs of irregularity or crime. Some modern casinos have completely automated games such as baccarat, blackjack and roulette, in which players bet with computer chips rather than live dealers.
Casinos typically accept all bets within an established limit, so that a patron cannot win more than the casino can afford to pay. This gives the casino a mathematical expectancy of winning, and it is extremely rare for a casino to lose money on any one game. Because of this virtual assurance of gross profit, casinos frequently offer big bettors extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment and luxury living quarters. They may also give lesser bettors free food, drinks and even airline tickets if they spend a lot of time and money at the casino.