The Casino is a gambling establishment designed to attract people who are willing to wager money on games of chance. Typically, casinos feature a wide variety of table games and slot machines. A few casinos also offer live entertainment, such as concerts and comedy shows. In some countries, casinos are licensed and regulated by the government.
In the United States, casinos are a significant source of revenue. In 2010, they accounted for $26 billion in gross gaming revenue, up from $20 billion in 1989. This increase in revenue was largely due to legalization of gaming in Nevada and increased advertising. The average casino patron in the U.S. is a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above-average income. According to research conducted by Roper Reports, GfK NOP and the U.S. Gaming Panel, approximately 24% of Americans visit casinos on a regular basis.
Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops and other tourist attractions. They are usually lit with bright colors and often feature gaudy floor and wall coverings that are meant to stimulate and cheer people on to gamble. Some casinos use the color red, which is thought to encourage gambling by making people lose track of time; they also do not display clocks on their walls.
Many modern casinos are extremely lavish, complete with lighted fountains, shopping centers and elaborate themes. They make their money primarily through gambling, which is a popular form of entertainment that can be enjoyed by all social classes. All casino games have a built in statistical advantage for the house, which can be quite small, but over the millions of bets placed by customers each year, this edge is enough to keep casinos profitable.