A casino is an establishment for gambling. Some casinos are stand alone buildings, while others are located in or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships or other tourist attractions. In the United States, the term casino also refers to a gaming district in which legalized gambling is permitted.
Casinos use many tricks to lure and keep gamblers spending money on games of chance and often on other things as well. The large companies invest millions in determining what colors, sounds, and smells appeal to patrons. For instance, red is a popular color to use because it stimulates and cheers people on. Also, no clocks are displayed to encourage patrons to lose track of time and continue gambling.
In addition to stimulating atmospheres, casinos offer a variety of perks designed to lure gamblers and reward them for their spending. They may include discounted hotel rooms, free buffet meals or show tickets, and even private jet flights for high rollers.
In some countries, casinos are required to maintain security measures in order to protect their patrons from cheating and stealing. These may include a physical security force as well as a specialized surveillance department known as the eye in the sky. Several casinos have catwalks in the ceiling that allow security personnel to look down through one-way mirrors on table and slot machine activities. In addition, most modern casinos have elaborate surveillance systems that are constantly monitored to prevent crimes or at least to quickly identify suspicious patrons.
