A Casino is a place where gamblers take their chances at games of chance. Although casinos have added a variety of entertainment options, musical shows and shopping centers to their attractions, the billions in profits they rake in each year are derived almost entirely from gambling activities. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and baccarat are the main gambling games that attract the bulk of patrons, but there are many other types of casino gambling.
Gambling existed long before modern casinos came into being, with primitive protodice and carved six-sided dice appearing in prehistoric archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. But the casino as a venue for multiple types of gambling did not develop until the 16th century during a gambling craze that swept Europe.
Today’s casinos are huge temples to chance, with opulent decor, mindblowing number of games and amenities for the whole family. Some have hotels, restaurants, non-gambling game rooms and even swimming pools. Many were built by mobster families who got out of the gambling business, but federal crackdowns and the danger of losing a license at the slightest hint of Mafia involvement mean that legitimate companies now run most casinos.
Because of the large amount of money handled within a casino, both patrons and employees may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with one another or independently. To prevent this, casinos employ a variety of security measures. Video cameras are placed throughout the casino, and a high-tech “eye-in-the-sky” surveillance system allows security personnel to monitor the entire casino at once and quickly pinpoint suspicious activity. In addition, betting chips have microcircuitry that interacts with electronic systems at each table to ensure the precise amounts wagered minute-by-minute are what they’re supposed to be; and wheel sensors constantly check for statistical deviations.