In the United States, there are more than a thousand casinos, and the number continues to grow as more states look to legalize casino gambling. Today, 40 states have some form of casino gambling, and Interstate competition has driven this growth. Despite the fact that a casino is not synonymous with a larger city, Las Vegas Valley is the state with the highest concentration of casinos, with Atlantic City and the Chicago region following. While not every casino is as successful as the next, the Las Vegas Valley is a prime example of how legalization has spread.
While many people associate gambling with Las Vegas, other casinos are located all around the world. Casino gambling is legal in many countries, and Atlantic City casinos were the first to open. American Indian reservations often have no anti-gambling laws, and several states have amended their gambling laws to allow casinos. Casinos are also located in Puerto Rico and many countries in South America, and Havana, Cuba, used to have a casino, but closed after the revolution. Today, there are more than 3,000 legal casinos in the world.
Technology is another key feature in casino gambling. Most casinos now use computers and video cameras to supervise games. The use of chip tracking, which involves microcircuitry in betting chips, allows casinos to monitor players’ wagers minute-by-minute. Even the roulette wheel is monitored to detect statistical deviations. Furthermore, casinos regularly offer opulent inducements for big bettors, including free drinks, cigarettes, and reduced-fare transportation. These are just a few of the advances in technology that have been made in casino gambling.