A casino (also known as a gaming house or gambling house) is an establishment that offers certain types of gambling. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and other tourist attractions. They may also be standalone facilities.
Gambling has been part of human society for millennia, starting in 2300 BC with the archeological discovery of wooden blocks used in Chinese gambling games and continuing with dice in 500 AD in Rome and playing cards around 800 AD in Europe. Modern casinos are much more than gambling halls, with elaborate themes and architecture and a plethora of entertainment options, but they would not exist without the billions in profits generated by the games of chance.
Regardless of how sophisticated the game, there is always a built in statistical advantage for the casino, whether it is a lower than two percent edge in blackjack or an even higher house edge in video poker. That is why casinos have to spend a lot of money on security to prevent cheating and theft by either patrons or staff.
Casinos are not only guarded by armed security forces, but their specialized surveillance departments monitor closed circuit television to spot any suspicious or definite criminal activity. They are also wired with chip tracking systems to monitor the exact amount of money being wagered minute by minute, and roulette wheels are electronically monitored on a regular basis to discover any statistical deviation from their expected results. In addition, casinos give “comps” to players who play for long periods of time and spend large amounts of money. These freebies include things like food, show tickets and hotel rooms.
