Casino (also known as a gaming establishment or gambling house) is an entertainment venue offering various games of chance and skill. Its operations are subject to laws governing gambling. In addition, casinos are expected to provide a safe and secure environment for their patrons and employees. Casinos are also required to provide responsible gambling programs and a link to organizations that can offer additional support. Most states include statutory funding for responsible gambling initiatives as part of the license requirements for casinos.
While gambling may have existed in primitive form as early as the 16th century, the modern casino as a place for multiple ways to gamble under one roof did not develop until the 1970s, when a wave of economic and demographic change swept across Europe and America. During this period, many casinos opened on American Indian reservations, which are exempt from state antigambling statutes. Eventually, Atlantic City and other cities were established as gambling centers.
Most casino games have a built in mathematical advantage for the house, often less than two percent; this is known as the house edge or vigorish. In addition to this profit, casinos also collect a commission on some bets, including those made in poker and baccarat, which is called the rake.
Most casino games follow certain patterns, making them easy to monitor and identify suspicious behavior. For example, the way dealers shuffle and deal cards or the locations of betting spots on table games follow certain patterns that are easily detected. In addition, casino surveillance systems use a high-tech eye-in-the-sky system that allows security personnel to see every table, window and doorway at once.