A casino is a place where people can play gambling games. Casinos add a variety of other entertainment options such as restaurants, stage shows and shopping centers to attract patrons, but they would not exist without games of chance like slot machines, blackjack, baccarat and craps. The billions of dollars that casinos earn from these games are the primary source of their profits.
Although gambling has probably existed since the dawn of history, it did not develop into a formalized industry until the 16th century when a craze for dice games swept Europe. At that time, wealthy aristocrats often gambled at private parties called ridotti.
Gambling has always been a dangerous business, and many people try to cheat or steal money. In fact, a great deal of modern casino security involves monitoring the activities of people entering and leaving the establishment. Casinos are typically divided into two distinct departments: a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department.
The physical security force patrols the casino and responds to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious activity. The specialized surveillance department operates a high-tech system called an “eye-in-the-sky” that allows security personnel to monitor every table, window and doorway of the casino from a room filled with banks of monitors.
To help people lose track of time, casinos are often decorated in bright colors and have no clocks on their walls. This is a deliberate strategy, as the more distracting a casino is to its patrons, the more they will likely gamble. Casinos also use a variety of other tricks to attract people, including lights and sound. For example, the sounds of bells and clangs are used to attract attention from people walking by slot machines.
