A casino is a place where games of chance are played and where gambling is the primary activity. A casino may also include restaurants, hotels and other entertainment. Casinos are a major source of revenue for many countries.
The Hippodrome in London, England is one of the oldest and largest casinos in Europe and includes a theater, restaurants and a casino. Similarly, the Venetian and City of Dreams in Macau, China are two of the largest casinos in the world by casino floor space. In the United States, the Stratosphere in Las Vegas and the MGM Grand in Reno are notable by their size.
In addition to video cameras for general security, many casinos use special technology for monitoring the games themselves. For example, in a system called “chip tracking,” betting chips have built-in microcircuitry to allow the casino to monitor exactly how much is wagered minute by minute; roulette wheels are regularly monitored electronically for statistical deviations from their expected results.
Casinos make their money by filling the casino with people and offering them perks to encourage them to spend more time and money there. These perks are known as comps and they can include free hotel rooms, dinners, show tickets and even limo service. Comps are based on the amount of money that a patron wagers and the types of games played. Some studies suggest that the net value of a casino to a community is negative, because it shifts spending from other sources of local entertainment and the costs of treating problem gambling are significant.