A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. It may also be called a gaming house, a gambling den, or a kasino. It is sometimes a standalone facility, but it is more often combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships or other tourist attractions. Casinos are operated by governments, private individuals, or companies. Some casinos are famous, such as Monte Carlo, in Monaco; the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip; or the Casino de Venezia in Venice, Italy. Others are less well known but still popular, such as the El Cortez in Los Angeles.
Casinos are carefully designed to influence behavior and maximize profits. For example, the layouts of some casinos feature labyrinth-like walkways lined with enticing games to keep visitors from leaving and encourage them to spend more time playing. Other strategies include acoustics, lighting and music. For instance, a study found that people who played slots while listening to low-tempo music gambled longer than those who heard high-tempo music. In addition, a study in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions found that people placed 45% more money into slot machines when they were surrounded by pleasant scents.
Many casinos offer a wide range of games, including traditional Far Eastern games such as sic bo and fan-tan, as well as baccarat and blackjack. Typically, these games are played with chips that can be purchased from the casino. In some casinos, players are able to exchange these chips for cash, although this practice is prohibited in some jurisdictions.