A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. It can have a wide variety of games of chance and sometimes entertainment shows. Generally, it requires that patrons be of legal age and follow the rules and regulations of the casino. Patrons may use cash or credit to exchange for chips to play the games, and many casinos provide food and drinks.
The modern casino is much like an indoor amusement park for adults, but the vast majority of the entertainment and the billions of dollars in profits that casinos bring in every year come from gaming. Slot machines, black jack, roulette, craps, keno and other popular games of chance provide the gambling that attracts people to casinos.
Gambling was illegal for most of the nation’s history, but that didn’t stop some people from going to Vegas or taking weekend bus trips to local casinos. Then, as state laws changed, investment banks and real estate developers with deeper pockets bought out the mobsters and established legitimate casino businesses. Federal crackdowns on even the slightest hint of mob involvement kept the mob out of most casinos for the most part, and casino managers are able to run their operations without fear of losing their gambling licenses.
Casinos are designed to appeal to all the senses, with bright and gaudy floor and wall coverings that stimulate and cheer people on. Colors are carefully chosen; red is a popular choice because it helps gamblers lose track of time. Sound is also important, with a constant clang of coins dropping and the shouts of encouragement from fellow gamblers.