A casino, or kasino (from the Spanish word for gambling house) is a place where people go to gamble and play games of chance. Casinos may add a variety of extra features to lure customers, such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows, but the core business is gambling. The billions of dollars in profits raked in by casinos every year make them the biggest entertainment and gaming venues in the world.
Although there is a great deal of variability in casino size and design, they all have some common features. They usually strive to create a sense of luxury and mystery, with careful lighting and elegant interior design. A casino should also minimize the amount of time that patrons spend there, which means that they should provide a variety of activities and distractions to keep them from noticing the passing of time.
The Grand Lisboa, in Macau, east Asia’s Vegas, is a shining example of this. It is designed to look like a birdcage, and it is crowned by the largest LED dome in the world, made up of more than a million lights. Its dazzling exterior conceals an equally decadent interior, with 800 tables and 1,000 slots spread out over several large and lavishly decorated floors. In addition to the gambling, there are regular shows put on at the main bar, so that even people who do not like to flutter have something to keep them busy.
The elegance of this casino carries over into the poker rooms and blackjack and roulette tables, which are all elegantly outfitted in red-and-gold. This is appropriate, as the town of Baden-Baden was originally a spa resort for Europe’s royalty and aristocracy 150 years ago. Today it attracts visitors from all over the world who are drawn by its unique atmosphere, and the casino fits right in.