A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Some casinos are stand-alone buildings, while others are part of resorts, hotels, or even cruise ships. Most casino games involve chance, but some allow for a degree of skill. Casinos are also known for their entertainment offerings, including concerts and other live performances. In the United States, there are many state-regulated casinos. Some are owned by Native American tribes. In addition, some are operated by independent operators.
While musical shows, shopping centers and lavish hotels help draw in customers, the vast majority of the billions raked in by casinos every year come from the games of chance themselves. Slot machines, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps and baccarat are all popular among players. Because of the large amounts of money that are handled within a casino, employees and patrons may be tempted to cheat or steal—either in collusion or independently. To prevent this, casinos employ numerous security measures. Among them are security cameras that monitor the entire casino floor, allowing employees to spot blatant cheating and other violations of the rules. In addition, dealers at table games have a higher-up supervisor who watches their actions and can spot suspicious behavior. Moreover, many casinos use bright and gaudy colors to stimulate gamblers and make them lose track of time. In fact, some casinos don’t even have clocks on their walls. Lastly, many casinos bar anyone from playing who appears on the state or casino self-exclusion list.