A casino, also known as a gambling house or gaming establishment, is an establishment where people can gamble and enjoy other entertainment. Most casinos offer a variety of gambling activities, including poker, blackjack, and slot machines. Some casinos also feature live entertainment such as stand-up comedy or concerts. A casino is generally licensed and regulated by governmental authorities.

A modern casino is often highly themed and designed to appeal to a specific demographic. Research conducted by Harrah’s Entertainment found that the average American casino patron in 2005 was a forty-six year old female from a household with an above-average income. The research involved face-to-face interviews with 2,000 adults, as well as a survey of 100,000 households.

Casinos rely on their reputation and location to draw in patrons. Historically, they were established in urban areas with high populations of people who would be interested in gambling. Nevada and Atlantic City were the first to capitalize on this concept, but the industry quickly expanded as more states legalized gambling.

Because of the large amounts of money handled, security is a key element in any casino. Those working the floor have their eyes constantly on the patrons, looking for any suspicious behavior or activity such as switching cards or dice. The more sophisticated casinos use cameras to monitor the entire casino from a room filled with banks of monitors. This “eye in the sky” allows security to spot any suspicious activity from anywhere on the casino floor.