A casino is an establishment for gambling. It may be combined with hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, retail shops, and other entertainment venues. Its customers gamble by playing games of chance or a combination of chance and skill. The house always has an advantage over the players, which is known as the house edge. In a game of chance, the house edge is mathematically determined by the odds and probabilities of each event. In games that have an element of skill, such as poker or blackjack, the house takes a commission, known as the rake. Casinos also give out complimentary items to players, a practice called comping.
Underneath the flashing lights and free drinks, casinos are engineered to slowly bleed their patrons of cash. Those who know about probability and game theory can use this knowledge to beat the house, but most people don’t. How do casinos make otherwise rational people — people who work hard for their incomes and make reasoned financial decisions on a day-to-day basis — throw hundreds or even thousands of dollars away based on the literal roll of a dice, spin of a wheel, or draw of a card?
The answer is that casinos are carefully designed to suck people in and keep them gambling. For example, they often have labyrinth-like walkways lined with enticing machines that are meant to distract people as they walk by. They also have scented air that is intended to create a sense of bliss and encourage people to stay longer. They also use a variety of inducements to make big bettors feel special, including free spectacular entertainment, luxury transportation, and living quarters.