A casino is much like an indoor amusement park for adults. There are musical shows, lighted fountains and lavish hotels, but the vast majority of money is made from gambling games. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and other casino games provide the billions of dollars that casinos rake in annually.
Although the gambling part of a casino is not completely dependent on luck, the house does have a built in statistical advantage in all of the games. This advantage, which is typically lower than two percent, is what makes the business profitable. This virtual guarantee of gross profit allows casinos to offer big bettors a number of extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment, luxury accommodations and reduced-fare transportation.
As a result of the high amounts of cash that a casino handles, there is always a risk of fraud. Whether by patrons or staff, casinos take major precautions to ensure that this does not happen. This includes cameras throughout the facility, fraud experts, alert security personnel and a variety of money handling equipment such as counting machines.
Casinos have a specific goal in mind when they design the interior of their facilities, which is to make the patrons feel that they are experiencing something special. This is often achieved by a combination of lighting and decor, which may include plush carpets, richly tiled hallways, dimmed lights and exotic accents. The overall effect is meant to evoke feelings of mystery and excitement, and to minimize the sense of time passing while the gambler is in the casino.