A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. Casinos have a variety of luxuries that help them attract patrons, including restaurants, bars, top-notch hotels and spas. Many casinos also offer live entertainment and events for non-gamblers. Gambling has been around for a long time, with primitive protodice and carved six-sided dice found in the most ancient archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. However, the modern casino did not develop until the 16th century as the gambling craze spread across Europe. Italian aristocrats often held parties in venues called ridotti, which were technically illegal but were tolerated by authorities as long as they didn’t host public gambling sessions.

Unlike most other businesses, the average casino has a mathematical expectancy of profit for each game it offers. Because of this, it is rare for a casino to lose money on any one day. It is also why many casinos offer big bettors extravagant inducements, like free spectacular entertainment, luxurious living quarters and reduced-fare transportation to the casino.

Because of the large amounts of money handled by casinos, security is a major concern. Casino employees watch over the gaming tables and slot machines to make sure no one is cheating, stealing or attempting to defraud. Casinos also have elaborate surveillance systems, such as cameras in the ceiling that give a high-tech eye-in-the-sky view of every table and window. These cameras can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons by workers in a room filled with banks of security monitors.