The word casino conjures up images of glitzy gaming palaces filled with slot machines, blackjack tables, craps, baccarat and other games of chance. While a variety of other activities are offered at casinos, such as restaurants, shopping and musical shows, gambling accounts for the majority of profits. The games of chance and some that require skill, such as poker, generate billions in annual profits for the companies, investors, casinos and Native American tribes that own and operate them.
The concept of the casino began in Italy with small private clubs for social occasions that allowed members to place wagers on various events, including horse races and card games. Over the years, gambling establishments became more sophisticated and grew in popularity.
Today, casinos can be found worldwide in cities and towns large and small. They range in size from massive resorts like those in Las Vegas to smaller card rooms and even a few floating casinos on boats in waterways across the country. Most states allow some form of casino gambling, and some allow commercial casinos while others restrict them to tribal lands.
Successful casinos earn billions of dollars each year from players who bet on games of chance or skill with a random element, such as roulette, baccarat and video poker. Casinos employ many tricks to attract and keep patrons, from dazzling interior designs that exude luxury to carefully calibrated lighting designed to make people feel they’re in a special place. Casinos also use elaborate surveillance systems that include an “eye-in-the-sky” that watches every table, window and doorway. Security personnel also watch patrons closely for signs of cheating, such as palming, marking and stealing cards or dice.