adminlabtroIn the United States, about 51 million people—about a quarter of the population over 21—visited a casino in 2002. That’s a lot of people to entice with perks, like free shows and buffet tickets. And those perks are the essence of casinos: they’re designed to attract and keep gamblers.
The name casino comes from the Latin word cazino, which means a small building. Casinos have since evolved into large entertainment complexes, featuring restaurants and hotels, as well as a wide variety of gambling games.
A casino is a place where the house has an edge over all the players, whether they’re playing table games, slot machines or poker. This is a result of the way in which a casino’s games are set up: they follow a certain pattern. For example, the way in which a dealer shuffles and deals cards follows a set routine. Likewise, the way in which a player places his or her chips on the table follows a set pattern. This makes it easier for security personnel to spot suspicious behavior or cheating.
Something about gambling entices people to cheat and steal, which is why casinos spend so much time, money and effort on security. They also employ bright and sometimes gaudy decorations, such as red walls, which are thought to make patrons lose track of time. And although a casino can’t legally stop people from betting, it can offer big bettors perks like reduced-fare transportation and luxury living quarters to encourage them to gamble more.
