A casino is a gambling establishment where patrons gamble money on games of chance. Table games like blackjack, roulette and baccarat are usually conducted by dealers, but some casinos have automated versions of these games. In the United States, casinos are regulated by state and local laws, and are also subject to the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. Some casinos are owned and operated by religious or charitable organizations, while others are open to the public.
While many people think of Las Vegas when they hear the word casino, there are actually dozens of them around the world. Some are much smaller than others, and some have non-gambling amenities like hotels, spas and restaurants. In the United States, 51 million people-a quarter of the population over 21-visited a casino in 2002.
Something about gambling (perhaps the proximity of large sums of money) seems to encourage cheating and stealing by both patrons and employees, and casinos spend a lot of time and money on security. Video cameras monitor patrons and employees at all times, and specialized technology can even oversee the behavior of individual betting chips and roulette wheels to detect any deviation from statistical expectations. In addition to the obvious precautions, some casinos have a number of more subtle security measures: tables and chairs are set up in familiar patterns, and players behave according to expected routines. This makes it easier for security staff to spot abnormalities.