A Casino is an establishment that offers a variety of gambling games. It also has other features such as food, drink and entertainment. Some casinos are owned by hotel chains, while others are independent. The United States has the largest concentration of casinos, with most in Las Vegas. Other major gaming centers include Atlantic City, New Jersey and Chicago.
Gambling probably dates back as far as human history, with primitive forms of dice (cut knuckle bones) and carved six-sided dice found in the oldest archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. But the casino as a modern place for patrons to find a wide range of gaming under one roof didn’t develop until the 16th century, when European aristocrats began holding private parties at venues known as ridotti. [Source: Schwartz]
The idea spread, and by the end of the century almost every country that legalized gambling had a casino or similar venue. Generally, casinos focus on card games and slot machines. The former involve placing coins or paper tickets into a machine, and waiting for varying bands of colored shapes to roll on reels (actual physical ones or a video representation). A winning combination earns a predetermined amount of money, and the player has no control over the results.
The presence of large amounts of cash in a casino creates the potential for cheating and theft, either in collusion or by individuals acting independently. To reduce this risk, casinos use many security measures. In addition to standard security cameras, many casinos use advanced technology to monitor the games themselves. For example, “chip tracking” allows casinos to monitor wagers minute by minute and quickly discover any statistical deviation from expected results.