In addition to gambling, casinos also have entertainment and glitz. The high rollers in a casino spend a lot of money and gamble in separate rooms from the main casino floor. The stakes for these players can be several tens of thousands of dollars. Because of this, casinos make a lot of money by attracting these people. They also receive lavish personal attention and comps worth thousands of dollars. In addition to this, some casinos offer free luxury suites and high-class cuisine.
Another important concern for casino managers is local unemployment rates. While casinos generate significant tax revenue, the jobs that they create may not be as many as advertised. Unemployment rates in a given city can rise or fall depending on the number of people in the area and whether or not there’s a skilled work force. The unemployment rate of a community is a common measure of economic activity. A decrease in unemployment in a city may mean that the population is absorbing more jobs. However, in a rural area, most casino employees are from outside the area.
In 1989, 24% of Americans visited a casino. That figure has increased since then, with casinos using video cameras to monitor game play. Some casinos have developed their own comp programs, which resemble the frequent-flyer programs of airlines. These programs use computers to keep track of players’ wagers and comps and redeem them for free slot play, discounted meals and drinks, or tickets to live shows. Comp programs are important marketing tools for casinos because they allow them to build patron databases that can be used for advertising and trends analysis.