A casino is a place where gambling activities take place, typically in the form of games of chance or skill. Its name comes from the Latin ca*si*no, meaning small country house (plural casa*si*nos). In modern times casinos often offer luxuries like restaurants, free drinks and stage shows in addition to gambling. Some are huge, such as the 340-acre WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma, which is sometimes referred to as the largest casino in the United States.
Security at a casino starts on the floor, where casino employees watch over the patrons to ensure that everything goes as it should. Dealers, for example, are trained to spot blatant cheating such as palming or marking dice or cards. Pit bosses and table managers have a broader view and watch for betting patterns that may indicate cheating. Casinos also employ gaming mathematicians and computer programmers to calculate the mathematical odds of winning or losing on specific games.
Many American cities have casinos, including Las Vegas, Atlantic City and New Jersey, as well as Puerto Rico and some American Indian reservations. In addition, casinos are increasingly appearing in countries that do not have state antigambling laws, such as the Philippines and Macau.
