A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping or cruise ships. They may also be located on American Indian reservations, which are exempt from state anti-gambling laws.
In the modern era, casinos have dramatically increased their use of technology for security and game supervision. Video cameras and computers now routinely monitor games and players. Moreover, electronic systems on roulette wheels and dice allow casinos to instantly discover statistical deviations from expected results. In addition, some casinos have catwalks that permit surveillance personnel to look directly down on table and slot machine games through one-way glass.
Besides these technological advances, casinos have become much more selective about who they allow to gamble there. In 2005, a study by Harrah’s Entertainment showed that the typical casino gambler is a forty-six year old female from a household with above average income. This demographic has remained consistent over time, while young people have continued to decrease in relative percentage.
Many casinos also focus their investments on high rollers, who make up a small percentage of the total clientele but generate a large proportion of the profits. These clients are usually invited to separate rooms from the main gaming floor, where they can place bets of up to tens of thousands of dollars. They are also given a variety of special services, such as free luxury suites and personal attention. In addition, they tend to play more than the average casino patron, which increases their statistical advantage over other players.