A casino is a facility that offers various forms of gambling, including slot machines and table games like blackjack and roulette. It also offers live entertainment shows. To gamble in a casino, patrons must be of legal age and follow the rules and regulations of the establishment. To play, patrons exchange money for casino chips which they use to place bets. A casino may also offer food and drinks to its customers.
In addition to ensuring that patrons do not exceed the established maximum bet limits, casinos monitor their games for statistical deviations from expected results. Statistical anomalies are identified by computer programs and by trained gaming mathematicians. These experts are often employed by casinos, but they can also be hired on a contract basis to analyze specific games.
During the 1990s, technology significantly improved the monitoring capability of casino security operations. For example, in some casinos, chips with built-in microcircuitry interact with electronic systems that record the amount wagered minute by minute and warn security personnel if an irregularity occurs. Roulette wheels are monitored electronically to detect any rotation of the ball that might affect the expected outcome.
Casinos vary in size and architectural style, but all are designed to maximize profits by attracting the most gamblers. In the United States, these facilities are found primarily in Nevada and Atlantic City, but they have begun to open on American Indian reservations, where state antigambling laws do not apply. Harrah’s Entertainment reports that the average casino gambler in 2005 was a forty-six-year-old female with a household income above the national average.