The Casino Experience

With a backdrop of glitzy lights and thumping sounds, Casino is the ultimate place to indulge in your gambling fantasies. Whether you’re in the mood for blackjack, roulette, or slot machines, these casinos are decadent temples of temptation, where the clinking of dice and shuffling of cards makes time stand still.

The best casinos are opulent, with lofty gold-trimmed ceilings and crystal chandeliers. Guests are expected to dress appropriately (no shorts or flip-flops). There is a full range of dining options, from upscale restaurants to fast food outlets. And of course, you can’t forget the entertainment—everything from concerts and comedy shows to boxing matches.

Casinos make their money by establishing built in advantages for themselves over the players, called house edges. The higher the house edge, the more the casino earns from the games played. Slot machines, for example, typically have an advantage of only 1 percent or less. Craps attracts big bettors, so the casino may reduce its edge to entice them.

Given the large amounts of money handled within a casino, both patrons and employees may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. To counteract this, casinos use a variety of security measures. These include cameras located throughout the building, which are able to be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons. The most sophisticated casinos have systems that provide an “eye-in-the-sky” view of the entire casino floor, as well as individual monitors at each table or window.