The word casino is usually associated with a large building that houses gambling games, like slots and table games. However, there are also less lavish places that house these activities, and they can still be called casinos. A more accurate definition of a casino is a public room that offers a variety of gambling games.
Unlike lotteries and Internet gambling, where patrons are not directly interacting with one another, casino games often involve social interaction between players. Some games have a high skill element, such as poker and craps, while others are more purely random, such as slot machines. Regardless, most casino games are designed around noise, light, and excitement. Casinos typically use bright, sometimes gaudy floor and wall coverings that have been proven to stimulate the brain, while they also feature loud music and a variety of spectator sports and events. Patrons are often urged to gamble by waiters who circulate throughout the casino and by signage that emphasizes the high stakes of the various games.
In the United States, the largest concentration of casinos is in Atlantic City and the Las Vegas Valley. There are also casinos on many American Indian reservations, which are exempt from state antigambling laws. Several other cities have casinos, including Chicago and New Orleans. In 2005, the average American casino gambler was a forty-six-year-old female who worked in a professional occupation and had above-average income levels. These figures are based on a survey of approximately 2,000 Americans conducted by Roper Reports GfK NOP and the U.S. Gaming Panel by TNS.