What is a Casino?
A casino is a facility that offers games of chance and live entertainment. It may also offer food, drinks and luxury hotels. The word ‘casino’ comes from the Italian word for pleasure, and it is believed that the first casino was established in Venice around 1600. Gambling in all its forms has been part of human civilization for millennia. Archeologists have found wooden blocks used for dice games in 2300 BC, while playing cards appeared in China in 800 AD and baccarat first rose to prominence in the 1400s.
Modern casinos are like indoor amusement parks for adults, with the vast majority of their entertainment (and profits for their owners) coming from gambling. Musical shows, lighted fountains and elaborate hotel themes help attract visitors, but casinos would not exist without games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, keno and craps provide the billions in profits raked in by casinos each year.
When the casino business began in Nevada in the 1950s, legitimate businesses were reluctant to get involved, because of gambling’s seamy image. So casino owners looked for alternative sources of funds. One source was organized crime, which provided a steady stream of cash into Reno and Las Vegas. Mafia moguls took sole or partial ownership of casinos and even influenced the outcomes of games by threatening casino personnel. Today’s casinos are choosier about who they let in, and spend considerable money on security. They also concentrate their investments on the high rollers, who are willing to gamble much more than average and spend large sums of money. They are rewarded with perks, known as comps, that can be worth tens of thousands of dollars.
A casino is a facility that offers games of chance and live entertainment. It may also offer food, drinks and luxury hotels. The word ‘casino’ comes from the Italian word for pleasure, and it is believed that the first casino was established in Venice around 1600. Gambling in all its forms has been part of…