A casino is an establishment for gambling. In some jurisdictions, casinos are licensed to offer certain types of gambling, such as lotteries and bingo. Casinos may also host live entertainment events such as stand-up comedy, concerts or sports matches. They may also serve food and drink, and most are located in or near hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships or other tourist attractions.
Casinos can be found worldwide and have become a major source of entertainment and tourism. Some casinos have specialized in particular games, such as the roulette wheel or baccarat. They can also be geared toward high-stakes gamblers, offering table limits of $500 or more on blackjack and other games. In addition, they can feature extensive electronic poker and other slot machine games.
Modern casino security is usually divided into a physical force and a specialized surveillance department. The former patrols the casino and responds to calls for help and reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity. The latter operates the casino’s closed-circuit television system, sometimes referred to as the eye in the sky.
Despite their legality in many states, casinos can cause problems for local communities and residents. Their presence can have a negative effect on property values and crime rates. The gambling industry also has a history of scandals and corruption. For example, the Las Vegas Sands Corporation was implicated in the Stardust hotel scandal in the early 2000s and lost its license to operate in California a few years later.
