A casino is a large building or room in which gambling games are played. Its name is derived from the Latin cazino, meaning “little house.” A casino can also refer to a specific type of game, such as blackjack or roulette, or to a group of games, such as baccarat. The term can also describe a gambling establishment where games are legal, regulated, and operated by state or private organizations.
Casinos are primarily built for entertainment purposes and are designed around noise, light, and excitement. Some casinos are famous for their lavish luxury, such as the Bellagio in Las Vegas, which is recognizable worldwide thanks to its dancing fountains and appearance in several movies, including Ocean’s 11. Other casinos cater to a specific audience or region. For example, Macau offers a blend of Eastern and Western cultures and attracts high rollers.
Security is a major concern in casino operations. Each table is watched by a pit boss or manager who can detect blatant cheating such as palming, marking, or switching cards or dice. In the 1990s, many casinos dramatically increased their use of technology to monitor their patrons and games. For example, some slot machines have chips with microcircuitry that can track the amount of money wagered minute-by-minute; and electronic systems can monitor roulette wheels to discover any statistical deviation from expected results.
In 2002, about 51 million people — a quarter of those age 21 or over in the United States — visited casinos. Almost all of them gambled. The most popular gambling games are poker, craps, and blackjack. In addition to these traditional card games, most casinos offer a variety of other games of chance, including sic bo (which became popular in American and European casinos in the 1990s), fan-tan, and pai gow.