A casino, also called a gambling house or a gaming room, is an establishment where people can gamble on certain types of games. Most casinos also have other entertainment facilities, such as restaurants and bars. They may also be combined with hotels, resorts, or other tourist attractions. Casinos vary in size, architecture, and game offerings. Some casinos are legal in their country and operate on a commercial basis, while others are illegal or regulated by state or local government.
Despite the high stakes involved in some gambling activities, most casinos try to present a family-friendly image. They often offer floor shows, free drinks and all-you-can-eat buffets to attract families. In 2005, Harrah’s Entertainment reported that the average casino gambler was a forty-six-year-old woman from a household with above-average income.
Because large amounts of money are handled within a casino, security is very important. Modern casinos have a combination of physical security forces and specialized surveillance departments. The former patrol the premises and respond to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious activity; the latter watch over the tables from a control room, sometimes known as an eye in the sky.
In the early years of casino gambling, organized crime figures supplied much of the cash. Mobster money helped build the casinos of Las Vegas and Reno, although legitimate businessmen were wary of the industry’s seamy reputation. In the 1980s, however, several American states amended their antigambling laws to allow casino construction and operation, and many American Indian reservations opened their own casinos.