A casino is a public place where a variety of games of chance can be played. Its main source of income is the money players wager or lose. A casino may also host stage shows, restaurants, shops and other entertainment. In addition, casinos can offer free drinks and other perks to keep gamblers on their premises. There are many different types of casino games, but the most common include roulette, slot machines, poker and table games. The casino industry is often considered to be one of the most lucrative.
Gambling probably predates recorded history, with primitive protodice (cut knuckle bones) and carved six-sided dice found in some of the earliest archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. However, casinos as places where people could find a wide range of gambling activities under one roof did not appear until the 16th century, when a gambling craze swept Europe and Italy. Italian aristocrats would hold private parties at a Ridotto, or casino, where they could play cards and dice. While these venues did not technically meet legal gambling requirements, they were seldom bothered by authorities because of their elite clientele.
Modern casinos feature elaborate themes and many amenities, but they would not exist without the billions of dollars in profits raked in each year by gaming machines and table games. Slot machines are the most popular gambling machine, with a variety of features and themes. Some have progressive jackpots, free spins bonus rounds and expanding reels. Table games include baccarat, blackjack, roulette and craps. Although some of these games require skill, the house always has an edge over players.
Casinos also make money by granting complimentary items to gamblers, known as comps. These may include free rooms, meals, show tickets and even limo service. The casino determines the value of a comp by the amount of money a player spends and how long he or she plays at a particular game. In some cases, the casino also calculates a player’s winnings by comparing his or her total expenditures to a player’s average bet size.
Security in a casino starts on the floor, where dealers and pit bosses watch over patrons to ensure that all is as it should be. Dealers have a focused view of the games and can spot blatant cheating like palming, marking or switching cards or dice. Pit bosses have a broader view and can watch for betting patterns that suggest that a player is trying to steal chips from other tables.
Although Mafia money flowed steadily into Reno and Las Vegas casinos in the 1950s, legitimate businessmen were reluctant to touch them because of their seamy image. Fortunately, real estate investors and hotel chains had much more money than the mob did, and they began buying out ownership stakes in casinos. Today, federal crackdowns and the threat of losing a gaming license at the slightest hint of Mafia involvement keep the mob out of casinos.