A casino, or gaming house, is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and other tourist attractions. The word is derived from the Latin casino, meaning “house of games.”
While modern casinos are elaborately designed with fountains, towers and replicas of famous landmarks and provide a range of entertainment from dazzling musical shows to gourmet food, they would not exist without their main attraction: the billions in profits that people make betting on the outcome of chance games. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and other games of chance generate the revenue that funds the spectacular buildings and glitzy amenities.
Although many casinos are regulated by state law, some are run by organized crime groups that finance them with money from drug dealing, extortion and other criminal activities. In some cases these mobsters have taken sole or partial ownership of the casino, and they manipulate game outcomes by threatening dealers and other staff. The mafia’s role in the casino business has contributed to a negative public image for gambling.
Something about the innate excitement of gambling seems to encourage cheating and other types of dishonest behavior. As a result, casinos invest a great deal of time, effort and money in security. Video cameras monitor and record activity, while computers are used to supervise the games. The routines and patterns of casino games also follow recognizable patterns, making it easier for security personnel to spot unusual behavior.