A casino is a gambling establishment that houses a variety of games of chance. It may also offer entertainment such as stage shows and dramatic scenery. It may be combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships. A casino is also known as a gaming house or a card room.
Something about casinos seems to encourage people to cheat, steal and scam their way into a jackpot. That’s why casinos spend a great deal of time, effort and money on security.
As a result, legalized gambling can generate significant tax revenues for a community. That revenue allows local politicians to fund critical community projects or avoid cuts to other city services and spending. In California, cities such as Commerce, Bell Gardens, Colma, Gardena and San Pablo rely on casino revenues to boost their tax bases.
Casinos have become a major source of revenue in many states, especially since New Jersey and Atlantic City opened their doors to casino gambling in 1978. Iowa, where the first modern casinos were built, also legalized casino gambling in the 1980s on American Indian reservations that are exempt from state antigambling laws.
In the 1990s casinos began deploying technology to monitor and supervise their own operations. For example, betting chips have a built-in microcircuitry that allow casinos to oversee exactly how much is wagered minute by minute and to spot any statistical deviations. Casinos also use computer software to track the behavior of advantage players and to identify them as they enter the premises.