Casino is a word that brings to mind glitzy places where people gamble and play games of chance. But the term is actually more general, referring to any public place where gambling takes place. The typical casino adds a host of luxuries to help draw in gamblers, including restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. But there have been less elaborate places that housed gambling activities and still earned the name casino.
While the exact origin of gambling is unclear, it is clear that casinos have existed for thousands of years. From Ancient Mesopotamia and Greece to Napoleon’s France and Elizabethan England, casinos have been the centers of excitement, euphoria and sometimes even devastation for many a patron.
Gambling in its various forms is now legal in nearly every country of the world, and casinos have sprung up to cater to its clientele. Most of the modern world’s casinos are located in Las Vegas and other famous resorts, but they can also be found in Europe (notably Monaco and London), Asia (especially Macau, which is now the largest gambling center on Earth), and elsewhere.
Most gamblers realize that they are taking a risk, but many also enjoy the social aspect of a casino. It is not unusual for players to shout encouragement at one another or even get physically involved in some games such as baccarat or poker. Alcoholic drinks are freely available and delivered to gamblers by waiters circulating throughout the casino. Casino design is focused around noise, light and excitement to create an environment where patrons can lose themselves in the game.
Like any other business, a casino must make a profit to stay in operation. Each game has a built in advantage for the house, which can be as low as two percent or as high as 20 percent depending on the rules of the game. Over time this edge earns casinos millions of dollars, which helps finance such extravagances as fountains, giant pyramids and towers, and replicas of the world’s most famous landmarks.
In addition to their physical security forces, casinos employ specialized departments to monitor and detect suspicious or criminal activity. These may include a special department that monitors closed circuit television, known as the “eye in the sky,” or a team of investigators who analyze video feeds from cameras in the ceiling and other locations within the building. While this approach to casino security has been effective, it is not foolproof. There are always those who attempt to cheat or steal, and these people can cost a casino dearly. Security personnel work very closely with each other to prevent these incidents. They are trained to recognize certain body language and other cues that indicate a player is trying to manipulate the game or cheat. They are also required to keep their hands visible at all times while playing cards, and to avoid touching one another. In addition, they are encouraged to wear uniforms that make them easy to identify.