A Casino is an establishment that offers a variety of gambling games. These games include roulette, baccarat, craps, blackjack, poker and more. Many casinos also offer restaurants, bars and shopping. Some casinos are built in historic buildings while others are modern glass and steel temples to overindulgence.
Casino games typically give a long-term advantage to the house, or “bank”, but some have a skill element and can be improved upon by players. Those who improve on the house edge are called “advantage players”. Casinos often employ mathematicians who work on game analysis.
Because large amounts of money are handled within a casino, both patrons and employees may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with each other or independently. As a result, most casinos have security measures. These typically include cameras located throughout the facility and rules of conduct that prohibit stealing or cheating.
In 2005, the average casino gambler was a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above-average income. In addition, the majority of American casino gamblers were white, with African Americans making up only 8% of the population.
The largest casino in the world is US-based WinStar World Casino, followed by two China-based casinos, Venetian Macao and City of Dreams. All three casinos are owned by Las Vegas Sands, and all have over a million square feet of gaming space. As disposable income increases worldwide, more and more people are traveling to these destinations to enjoy the thrill of the casinos.