A casino is a place where gambling games are played. While casinos often provide a wide array of other amenities, such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows, they are fundamentally places where people pay to bet on whether they will win or lose money. Casinos have a long history of being financed by organized crime, and mob money gave them the taint of “vice.”
A 21st-century casino is much more than a glitzy building with slot machines, card tables and roulette wheels. It is a business, and it brings in billions of dollars each year. It provides jobs, tax revenue and profits for companies, investors and Native American tribes. And it is a major source of entertainment for people around the world.
Modern casino owners are choosy about who they accept as patrons. They concentrate on attracting high-stakes gamblers, who are often referred to as “high rollers.” These individuals spend tens of thousands of dollars per visit and generate a disproportionately large percentage of the casino’s profits. High rollers are given special rooms where the betting limits are lower, and they are usually provided with a personal attendant to help manage their activities.
Casinos must constantly work to attract patrons and keep them coming back. They are essentially an entertainment business, and they need to be attractive and fun. They do this through a variety of techniques, from the elaborate fountains that light the Las Vegas strip to the sounds of clanging coins and bells.
