A casino is a place where people can play a variety of gambling games. Casinos can be found in many places including land-based establishments, cruise ships, riverboats, and on Indian reservations. Some states have casinos on their own territory but most host them in resorts or hotels. They often include restaurants, retail shops and other attractions.
Modern casinos are heavily focused on security. They usually have a physical security force that patrols the floor and responds to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity. They also have a specialized surveillance department that operates the casino’s high-tech closed circuit television system known in the industry as the “eye in the sky.”
Casinos make their money from the games of chance that they offer. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno are some of the most popular games. These and other games provide the billions of dollars that successful casinos rake in every year. Casinos also earn millions from food and beverage sales, hotel rooms, stage shows, lighted fountains and other extras.
Gambling almost certainly predates recorded history, with primitive dice known as astragali or carved knuckle bones among the earliest archaeological finds. But it was not until the 16th century that a casino developed as a place where gamblers could find a variety of ways to bet under one roof. Even then, the concept did not become widespread until a gambling craze swept Europe. At that time, rich nobles used to entertain their friends in private venues called ridotti.