A casino is an establishment for gambling. It may include a variety of games such as blackjack, roulette, poker, and slot machines. In addition, some casinos have theaters or other forms of live entertainment. Casinos are often located near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships. The word casino is most closely associated with Las Vegas, Nevada. However, casinos exist in a number of other locations, including some that are operated by Native American tribes.
Although gambling surely predates recorded history, the modern casino as an integrated gathering place for multiple types of betting probably originated in the 16th century. At that time, a gambling craze swept Europe and wealthy Italian aristocrats often gathered in private clubs called ridotti to gamble and socialize. These were technically illegal, but the gamblers rarely ran afoul of the law.
Casinos make money by exploiting a built-in advantage in each game that guarantees them the house will win. The edge can be very small, but it adds up over the millions of bets placed by patrons. This income, known as the vig or rake, helps casinos afford elaborate hotels, fountains and replicas of famous landmarks.
Something about the sheer amount of money handled by a casino encourages cheating and theft by both patrons and staff members. As a result, casinos spend a great deal of time, effort and money on security. A typical casino features security cameras throughout the facility and a variety of other precautions. For example, some casinos use electronic “chip tracking” to monitor bets minute-by-minute and warn the players if their chips leave the table.
