A casino, also called a gambling house or a gaming room, is an establishment where people can gamble. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants and/or retail shops. In the United States, casinos are licensed and regulated by state governments. There are several types of casinos, including those that offer slot machines, table games and/or sports betting. Some casinos are even themed with a particular country or region.
The first modern casinos opened in Nevada in the 1950s, attracting visitors from all over the world to the Las Vegas Strip. Soon, other states realized that they could capitalize on the influx of “destination” tourists and began legalizing gambling as well.
In the beginning, organized crime figures provided a lot of the capital for casinos in Reno and Vegas. However, the mobsters weren’t content to simply provide the bankroll. They took sole or partial ownership of many casinos and tried to control the outcome of games through intimidation and violence toward casino staff. Federal crackdowns on mob involvement, and the threat of losing a gambling license at any hint of mafia influence, eventually forced these criminal elements out of the casino business.
Today, casino security uses a variety of sophisticated methods to keep out troublemakers. Video cameras monitor the games to ensure that all betting takes place on a live link with the cashier; electronic systems track every chip in the game minute by minute to alert staff to any statistical deviation; and roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover quickly any tampering.