What is a Casino?

A casino is an entertainment center, a place where people can gamble and watch sports. Most modern casinos have elaborate themes, lighted fountains and other entertainment features, but most of the profits come from gambling. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette and craps are among the most popular games that make casinos billions of dollars each year. Casinos are found in cities and towns, and many are also major tourist attractions.

Gambling probably predates recorded history, with primitive protodice (cut knuckle bones) and carved six-sided dice found in ancient archaeological sites. But the casino as a gathering place for a variety of ways to gamble under one roof did not develop until the 16th century, when European nobles in Venice opened private gambling houses called ridotti to take advantage of the popularity of betting [Source: Schwartz].

The first American casinos were opened in the 1960s and 1970s in areas that were previously off-limits to casino gambling because of state antigambling laws. Then in the 1980s, casinos began to appear on Indian reservations, where they were not subject to those laws. Eventually, most states legalized casino gambling.

Given the large amounts of currency handled within a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, in collusion or independently. For this reason, most casinos spend a great deal of time and money on security measures. Cameras and other technological devices are used to monitor activities. Casinos also have rules of conduct and behavior to prevent cheating and stealing.