A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. It may also be associated with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships. It is possible to find games of chance and skill, along with other activities like sports betting and lottery play. In the United States, many states have legalized casinos or are considering doing so.
Most casino games have a mathematically determined house edge, meaning that the average player can expect to lose money over time. To offset this, the casino provides patrons with free spectacular entertainment and a variety of other inducements. In addition to the games of chance, many casinos also offer poker tables where patrons play against each other and the casino makes a profit by taking a percentage of each pot or charging an hourly fee.
Some casinos, such as the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino Resort (AMCR), feature Broadway-style shows and celebrity headliners. Planet Hollywood, meanwhile, has 90 table games and more than 3,000 slots. Go-go dancers, a dramatic choreographed light show and movie memorabilia help to create the Tinseltown atmosphere of this Vegas casino.
Modern casinos have a strong focus on security, especially given the large amounts of cash that are handled within them. The security department is usually divided between a physical force that patrols the premises and a specialized surveillance department. These departments work closely together to prevent criminal activity. They are also responsible for investigating suspicious or definite criminal behavior and responding to calls for assistance.