For people who love to gamble, casinos are a mecca. They attract millions of visitors each year to cities such as Las Vegas, Monte Carlo and London. They’re even featured in popular Hollywood movies such as Ocean’s Eleven and Ben Mezrich’s Busting Vegas, both of which are based on true stories.
Casinos offer much more than gambling: flamboyant entertainment, expensive restaurants and luxury hotels. They’re also a source of billions in profits each year. The most lucrative casinos have games of chance such as slot machines, poker, blackjack and craps, but there are also many other types of gambling. This article takes a look at what makes a casino, how it attracts patrons, and some of the dark sides of this industry.
The earliest casinos were privately owned halls where musicians and dancers performed. Then, in the second half of the 19th century, the first state-licensed casinos appeared. The best known of these is the casino in Monte Carlo, which opened in 1863 and remains a major source of income for Monaco.
Casinos make their money by charging customers to play the games of chance, or in some cases games with an element of skill (like craps). In addition to offering food and drinks, they provide free entertainment and stage shows. They also offer a variety of perks to encourage people to spend more than they’d otherwise, such as discounted hotel rooms and free show tickets.
Most casinos focus their investments on high rollers, who can gamble in special rooms with limits in the tens of thousands of dollars. But this strategy comes with a price: studies suggest that the economic benefits of casinos are offset by the cost of treatment for compulsive gambling and lost productivity caused by workers who lose control of their spending.
