Casino is a building where people gamble and play games of chance. It is often a place of bright lights, excitement, and noise. The billions of dollars that casinos rake in each year come from gambling activities such as slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker. Although musical shows, shopping centers, and elaborate hotels help draw in the crowds, casinos would not exist without games of chance.

Gamblers often feel they can control the results of a game, but they are wrong. The house always has an advantage, and casinos use a variety of tricks to lure customers. For example, slot machines are programmed to be appealing to the senses of sight and sound—the noises produced by bells, clangs, and whistles are manipulated to attract attention. Similarly, more than 15,000 miles (24,100 km) of neon tubing lights the casinos along the Las Vegas Strip.

During the 1990s casinos dramatically increased their use of technology to monitor games and improve security. For instance, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry to allow the casinos to monitor the amount that each is wagered minute-by-minute and to warn employees of any deviation from expected results; the movements of dice and the spins of roulette wheels are electronically monitored regularly to discover any anomalies. Casinos also are choosy about who they bring into their premises. They try to concentrate on high rollers—gamblers who spend a lot of money and want perks such as private rooms.

Before entering a casino, a person should decide how much money they are willing to lose and set boundaries for themselves. Then they can play within those limits and not get carried away by the allure of winning.