In a casino, gamblers can try their luck at games like blackjack, poker, craps, roulette and slot machines. While music and lighted fountains may attract patrons, the billions of dollars in profits casinos rake in each year come from the games themselves. This article takes a look at how casinos make money, the history behind them and what you could expect to find inside one.
In the past, many casino owners were organized crime members, but federal crackdowns on mob-run casinos and the threat of losing a license at the slightest hint of mob involvement has kept the mob out of most casinos. However, hotel and real estate investors with deep pockets have bought out the mobsters and turned casino ownership into a lucrative business opportunity.
Modern casino security is usually divided into a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department. The physical security force patrols the casino and responds to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity, while the surveillance department oversees the casino’s closed circuit television system.
Because casinos are essentially gambling centers, they must constantly attract new customers. To do this, they offer a wide variety of games and non-gambling attractions such as bars, restaurants, hotels, swimming pools, spas and non-gambling game rooms. Casinos also reward “good” gamblers with free gifts known as comps, which are based on the amount of money the gambler spends at the casino. These gifts can include anything from free hotel rooms and meals to limo service and airline tickets.