A casino, also known as a gaming house or a gambling house, is a facility for certain types of gambling. Many casinos are combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping and other tourist attractions. Some states have laws regulating the operation of casinos.
In addition to the traditional table games like blackjack, roulette, and poker, some casinos offer less popular dice games such as baccarat or craps. Some casinos also feature more traditional Far Eastern games such as sic bo, fan-tan, or pai gow. These games may be found at the larger casinos in Atlantic City or on The Strip in Las Vegas.
Historically, the casino industry was dominated by men. However, since the late 1990s, women have gained a greater presence in the business. In 2004, the number of female casino employees rose to 25 percent, and in 2006 it reached 31 percent. In 2012, the share of female employees in the casino industry was 34 percent.
Casinos use a variety of tricks to attract gamblers and make them spend more money than they planned on. For example, they often use bright and sometimes gaudy floor and wall coverings to have a stimulating effect. They also employ the color red, which is believed to distract patrons from their losses. The clinking of chips and the sound of rolling dice are also used to stimulate gamblers’ senses. Humans are attracted to bright lights, and more than 15,000 miles (24,100 km) of neon tubing is used to light the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.