A casino is a place where a variety of games of chance can be played and where gambling is the primary activity. Almost any establishment that offers gaming activities can technically be called a casino, but the word is most often associated with gambling facilities in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Other cities and states have casinos as well, though their numbers are not nearly as large as those in Nevada and New Jersey.
Gambling is a dangerous industry, and there are many ways that patrons can cheat or steal, in collusion with each other or independently. For this reason, casinos have extensive security measures. These include cameras located throughout the facility, with monitors that allow surveillance personnel to look directly down on tables and slot machines through one-way mirrors. Security staff also watches over the patrons closely, looking for suspicious betting patterns that could indicate a scam or a collusion between players.
Unlike other businesses, casinos are virtually guaranteed to make a profit on every game they offer. This is because each game has a mathematical expectancy and a house edge. As such, it is unusual for a casino to lose money on a game for more than a single day. To keep this from happening, casinos regularly offer big bettors extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment and luxury living quarters.
The bright lights and stimulating colors of casino interiors are designed to appeal to human senses. Red, for example, is a common color choice, since it stimulates the emotions and increases the sense of movement. In addition, more than 15,000 miles of neon tubing illuminate the casino floors along the Las Vegas Strip.