A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. They can also be found on cruise ships and in some military and civilian locations, such as a officers’ mess (in Spanish, castillo) or an officers club (in English).
Some casinos focus their investments on high-stakes gamblers known as “high rollers.” These customers make up a small percentage of the casino’s customer base, but generate a large proportion of its profit. They are pampered with free rooms, food, drink, shows, and even limo service and airline tickets if they can spend enough.
Casinos employ a variety of security measures to protect their patrons and property. The most obvious are cameras in the casino, which keep an eye on every table and change window. Cameras can be adjusted to zoom in on suspicious behavior. Security workers in a separate room watch the video feeds and can quickly spot cheating or other problems.
Most Americans live within a few hours’ drive of a legal casino. Some cities are home to multiple casinos, while others have just one. In some rural areas, however, it may be difficult to find a casino. To help you plan a trip to your nearest casino, check out this map of land-based casinos in the United States. If you have any questions, ask a casino employee.