What is a Casino?

A casino, also known as a gambling house or a gaming establishment, is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. Most modern casinos are attached to prime dining and beverage facilities as well as performance venues for rock, jazz, pop and other entertainers. These facilities draw huge crowds and make casinos one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

While elaborate luxuries such as free stage shows, lighted fountains and hotel rooms help draw in customers, casinos would not exist without the billions of dollars in profits provided by the actual gambling activities. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno are the core gambling products that provide the revenue that enables casinos to offer free entertainment and other perks to their patrons.

Every casino game has a mathematical expectation of profit that virtually guarantees that the house will win in the long run. To offset this, most casinos offer comps to big bettors in the form of free spectacular entertainment, discounted travel and elegant living quarters. Ask a casino host or someone at the information desk about how to get your play rated for comps.