A casino is an establishment for gambling games. These facilities may include a wide variety of games that require varying degrees of skill, but all have the common feature of relying on chance to determine the outcome of each play. In addition to gaming tables, casinos often feature restaurants, free drinks, and stage shows to add excitement. They also employ a variety of technology to monitor security and the honesty of their patrons.
Although some people consider gambling to be immoral, it is a popular pastime around the world. According to the American Gaming Association, about 51 million people—a quarter of the population over 21—visited a casino in 2002. This figure excludes illegal gambling, such as underground card rooms and backrooms where dice, poker, and other games are played.
Successful casinos take in billions of dollars each year, benefiting the companies, investors, and Native American tribes that own them as well as state and local governments that reinvest the profits. They also provide jobs, especially for those without much education or skills.
Many people who visit casinos are psychologically manipulated in a number of ways to keep them gambling. The lights are often bright and sometimes gaudy, and the color red is often used because it stimulates the brain and increases activity levels. Many casinos do not have clocks on the walls because they want their patrons to lose track of time and stay gambling as long as possible.