Casino is the name given to a place where gambling and other forms of social entertainment take place, often in an environment that emphasizes noise, light, and excitement. In the United States a casino is a facility wherein gambling is legalized and operated under state supervision. Casinos provide a variety of games to their patrons, from blackjack and poker to baccarat and craps. Other games of chance, such as two-up, banca francesa, boule, and kalooki are also found in some casinos. In addition to these, most casinos feature regular card rooms where players face each other and the house makes a profit from the action by taking a cut of the pot or charging an hourly fee for the tables.
The casino business is a major source of revenue for the private companies, investors, and Native American tribes that operate them. In addition, local and state governments benefit from the large amounts of money that are gambled away every year by casino patrons. However, successful casinos are not without their problems: Many people are tempted to cheat and steal, either in collusion with other patrons or independently, and most casinos employ security measures to deter such activities.
According to Harrah’s Entertainment, in 2005 the typical casino gambler is a forty-six-year-old female with an above-average household income who is more likely than her male counterpart to be married and have children. This type of gambler represents a very valuable market segment for casinos because they are likely to spend a lot on each visit and have high customer loyalty. In contrast, participation in casino gambling drops with decreasing income: only 20% of Americans with incomes below $35,000 per year gamble in casinos.