Casinos are gambling venues that also feature restaurants, bars, spas, museums and other entertainment experiences. Some, like the opulent Hippodrome in London, date back a century and were originally built to serve as performance centers. Others, such as the Bellagio in Las Vegas, have built their reputations as the place to go for high-rollers and VIPs who can enjoy a range of table games and slots.
As such, casinos are a popular choice for travelers looking to get away from it all and test their luck. But while they may have an image as glamorous, glitzy places where everything is on the line, these days they are much more than that. Most are echelons of safety and luxury, offering not just gaming but hotels, bars, restaurants, shopping and other forms of entertainment that attract people from all over the world.
Security is a big concern for most casino operators. Given the large amounts of money that pass through their doors, both patrons and staff are sometimes tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or on their own. In response, most casinos use a variety of security measures to deter crime. These range from the simple, such as cameras in every room, to the elaborate, such as a high-tech “eye-in-the-sky” surveillance system that can monitor every table and change window at the same time.
Most modern casinos offer a wide range of games, including baccarat (known as chemin de fer in the United Kingdom and Europe’s continental casinos), blackjack, and poker variations. In addition, Asian casinos often feature traditional Far Eastern games, such as sic bo, fan-tan and pai-gow.