A casino is a magical place – a place where champagne glasses clink and tourists and locals mingle, and where the air is thick with excitement. While many people enter casinos hoping to win big, the majority of gamblers are not there solely for money; they come in to enjoy the experience of gambling and socializing with others who also want to win.

In order to make a profit casinos must attract visitors and keep them coming back for more. The design of a casino is carefully planned with these goals in mind. Besides the obvious glitzy decor and music, there are subtle tricks used to trick people into spending more and craving gambling.

The most important factor that makes a casino successful is its edge. The house has a built in advantage for every game, and even though it can be as low as two percent it adds up over time. This advantage gives casinos enough money to build elaborate hotels, fountains, towers and replicas of famous landmarks.

Another way casinos attract customers is through their high-tech surveillance systems. Cameras watch every table, window and doorway, and can be adjusted to zoom in on suspicious patrons. Some cameras are even placed in the ceiling to watch the whole casino at once.

Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci give their usual great performances in Casino, but it is Sharon Stone who steals the show. Her sultry performance builds on and inverts her work in Basic Intinct, and she is at once seductive and terrifying as she effortlessly holds the attention of the film’s viewer.