A casino, or gambling hall, is a place where people can play various games of chance for money. Gambling is the primary activity in most casinos, but there are also restaurants, bars, non-gambling game rooms, and other amenities. Casinos are often glamorous places that house many different types of games and offer a lot of entertainment.
In the past, most casinos were owned by organized crime groups. Mobsters had a lot of cash from their drug dealing, extortion, and other illegal rackets and were happy to provide the necessary funding for casinos. However, federal crackdowns and the fear of losing a gaming license at even the slightest hint of mob involvement caused legitimate businessmen to step in and purchase mobsters’ stakes in casinos. Some of these new owners had deep pockets, and as a result, some of the biggest casinos in the world today are owned by real estate companies and hotel chains.
While the earliest casinos focused on attracting tourists, modern ones have figured out that it’s not enough to draw in visitors just for gambling alone. This is why casinos have evolved into casino resorts, offering a variety of other activities to appeal to all types of travelers.
Modern casinos usually employ a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department to protect their patrons and assets. A high-tech “eye in the sky” system allows security personnel to monitor every table, window, and doorway from a control room that is filled with banks of security cameras.