A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. These facilities are often combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships and other tourist attractions. In addition to gambling, casinos may also offer entertainment such as comedy shows and concerts. They may also serve as meeting spaces for business, or host sporting events and other public affairs.
In modern casino design, lighting is a critical aspect in creating the desired ambience for guests. Visual media, such as video screens are also important in defining the space. With such a large quantity of money handled in casinos, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal either in collusion or independently; thus, most casinos have security measures to prevent this. These include specialized surveillance cameras and other equipment to monitor the casino floor and other areas. In games where skill is involved, the casino may use a mathematical formula to determine the expected return on investment (known as the house edge) and the probability of a winning hand. This is accomplished by using mathematicians and computer programmers who specialize in casino analysis.
Because of their association with glamour, casinos are popular with many people, and they have become major sources of tourism and entertainment. In the United States, there are several locations that are widely known as casino cities, including Atlantic City and Las Vegas. In addition, casinos can be found on American Indian reservations and some are located on riverboats.
