A casino (also spelled casiono or kasino) is a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. It also provides entertainment, eating, and drinking to its patrons.
Modern casinos rely heavily on technology to supervise their games and other operations. They use cameras to monitor all activity in and around the casino, and computerized systems to track the precise number of chips placed minute-by-minute and warn staff of any suspicious activity. In addition, casinos employ specialized security forces to patrol the floors and respond to calls for help or reports of definite or potential criminal activity.
In the United States casinos are licensed and regulated by state gaming control boards. They offer a variety of gambling games, including slot machines, blackjack, roulette, and craps. Some casinos feature traditional Far Eastern games, such as sic bo (which spread to several European and American casinos during the 1990s) and fan-tan. Some casinos offer a limited selection of other games, depending on the local clientele, such as two-up in Australia, banca francesa in Portugal, boule in France, or kalooki in Britain.
New York City is home to a wide range of casinos and offers generous rewards programs for its players. Although the Big Apple has faced some legal issues in the past, it is now one of the top five gaming destinations in the nation, with 12 popular land-based casinos and 15 Native American tribal casinos within striking distance of the city.