Modern casinos are like indoor amusement parks for adults, with musical shows, lighted fountains and elaborate themes. But the real excitement—and profits for the casino owner—comes from games of chance. Slot machines, roulette, craps, baccarat, blackjack and poker account for billions of dollars in casino profits every year.
Casinos use a variety of methods to ensure that patrons don’t cheat. Security begins on the casino floor, where dealers keep an eye on their own game and can quickly spot blatant palming, marking or changing of cards or dice. In addition, each dealer has a “higher-up” person watching them as they work and noting betting patterns that might suggest cheating. Casinos also use high-tech “eyes-in-the-sky” surveillance systems to watch every table, window and doorway.
Despite the many games available, most casinos specialize in offering a few games that have become popular worldwide: roulette, poker, baccarat and craps. Occasionally, other games of local interest may be offered. For example, Asian casinos offer several traditional Far Eastern games such as sic bo and fan-tan.
While a casino offers much more than entertainment and profit opportunities, it isn’t without its problems. Compulsive gambling, for instance, creates a negative economic impact by diverting spending away from other forms of entertainment, and it lowers property values. And while casinos provide jobs, they’re often criticized for draining tax money that could be used for other purposes in the community. In addition, studies indicate that a large percentage of casino patrons are addicted to gambling and contribute little to the local economy.