A casino is a facility where people can play gambling games, such as slot machines and table games. The facility may also include entertainment shows. To gamble in a casino, people must be of legal age and follow the rules of the establishment. A casino offers a variety of ways to win, including jackpots, raffles, and tournaments. Players exchange cash for chips to play the games.
In the United States, casinos are licensed and regulated by state gaming agencies. Most casinos are located in Atlantic City, New Jersey; Las Vegas, Nevada; and other major cities. Other casinos are found on American Indian reservations, which are exempt from some state antigambling laws. Casinos are sometimes located aboard riverboats or other mobile venues.
Modern casinos usually employ a combination of physical security forces and specialized surveillance departments. The former patrols the premises and responds to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity, while the latter monitors the facility using closed circuit television systems. Casinos also use bright and sometimes gaudy floor and wall coverings to stimulate the senses and promote alertness. They often do not display clocks, which would make it easy to lose track of time.
In 2005, the average casino gambler was a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above-average income. They were more likely to be married than single, and almost half had at least a bachelor’s degree. Most owned their own homes, and the vast majority were employed full or part-time.