A casino is a place where people can play various games of chance for real money. Casinos can be massive resorts with restaurants, free drinks and stage shows or smaller places that house a few tables and a few slot machines. Casino gambling earns billions of dollars each year for the companies, investors and Native American tribes that own and operate them. The games include blackjack, roulette, poker, craps, baccarat and slot machines.
The modern casino is like an indoor amusement park for adults, and it would not exist without the games of chance that bring in the customers. While music, lights and water fountains are part of the attractions, the billions in profits casinos rake in each year come from gamblers betting on games of chance.
Casinos accept wagers and pay out winnings in exchange for a small percentage of the total bets placed. Because of this, it is mathematically impossible for a patron to win more than the casino can afford to pay out. To encourage gamblers to spend more money, casino employees offer perks called comps that are usually free goods or services. During the 1970s Las Vegas casinos were famous for giving away free hotel rooms, discounted food and show tickets to big-spending gamblers.
The average casino visitor is a forty-six-year-old female from an upper-middle income household. She is more likely to be married than single and has more children than the national average. She is also more likely to have a college degree.