A casino, also called a gaming house or a gambling establishment, is a place where people can play a variety of games of chance for money. It is also a common feature at hotels, resorts and even some cruise ships.
In addition to gambling activities, casinos typically have restaurants and free drinks to attract customers. In modern times, a casino’s primary revenue source comes from high rollers who gamble for much more than the average customer and are given special accommodations such as private suites.
As early as the second half of the 19th century, European city leaders sought to attract tourists by constructing large casinos. Monte Carlo, the first of these casinos, opened in 1863. Since then, these institutions have become one of the world’s most popular entertainment venues.
Many of today’s casinos have elaborate security systems. Electronic surveillance monitors each table and changing window to detect any suspicious behavior. Video cameras are positioned in the ceiling, giving the casino an “eye-in-the-sky” view of the entire floor and can be adjusted to focus on particular patrons at any time. In some cases, such as in slot machines, the game results are computerized and the actual payouts are determined by chips with built-in microcircuitry, making it virtually impossible to cheat.
Despite the best efforts of security personnel, something about gambling seems to encourage people to try to beat the system by illegal means. Some of these schemes include tampering with equipment, card counting and using illegal devices to gain an unfair advantage over other players.