A casino is an establishment for gambling. Some casinos add a variety of luxury amenities to appeal to patrons, such as restaurants and stage shows. Others may offer less elaborate facilities, such as tables and slot machines. A few casinos are located in military bases and cruise ships, and some are built on Indian reservations.
Something about the presence of large amounts of money seems to encourage people to cheat, steal and scam their way into a winning hand, or at least make it more difficult to win by random chance. For that reason, casinos spend a lot of time and money on security. Most casinos have cameras positioned throughout the facility to monitor activities and catch cheating or suspicious patrons. Some casinos even have special catwalks in the ceiling, with one-way mirrors, that let security personnel watch table and slot activities from above.
Casinos make money by charging a small percentage of each bet to the players, known as the house edge. This can vary from game to game, but it is usually lower than two percent. Casinos also make money by offering complimentary services to big bettors, called comps. These can include free rooms, meals, show tickets and reduced-fare transportation.
Many casinos try to lure customers with bright and sometimes gaudy decorations that are meant to stimulate the senses. For example, red is a popular color in casino decoration because it increases the perception of speed and is thought to cause people to lose track of time.