Part I: Games & Gaming · Other Games — Keno, Bingo & More

Keno

Other Table Games

A lottery-style casino game in which players select numbers (called “spots”) from a field of 80, and the casino randomly draws 20 winning numbers. Players win based on how many of their selected spots match the drawn numbers (“catches”). Keno is one of the oldest forms of gambling still played in casinos, with origins traced to ancient China. The game has one of the highest house edges in the casino, typically ranging from 20% to 35% depending on the number of spots selected and the pay table. Keno is played in dedicated keno lounges or at keno counters, with games running on a fixed schedule (typically every 5-10 minutes). Multi-race tickets allow players to play the same numbers across multiple consecutive games.

In practice

In Macau and most Asia-Pacific markets, keno is less prominent than in North American casinos but is available in most major properties. Video keno and electronic keno have largely supplanted live keno in many jurisdictions.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.