A casino is a place where people can gamble on games of chance. It is usually a large building with lots of gambling tables and slots. Some casinos also have restaurants, bars and stage shows to entertain people while they play. Casinos often have very high security to prevent cheating and terrorism. They are also regulated and audited by governments to ensure that they are playing fair.

Gambling almost certainly predates recorded history, with primitive protodice and carved six-sided dice found at ancient archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. However, the concept of a casino as a place where people could find all kinds of ways to gamble under one roof didn’t develop until the 16th century. At that time, European aristocrats would hold private parties at places called ridotti to indulge in their favorite pastime of gambling. Technically, these parties were illegal, but the rich didn’t seem to care – they were too busy partying and gambling.

In the modern world, many states have legalized casino gambling. Many American Indian reservations have casinos, as do some cities on the Caribbean islands. Other casinos can be found in Mexico and South America, as well as in the cities of Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

The casinos make their money by imposing a statistical advantage on each bet placed. This advantage can be very small (less than two percent), but it adds up over the millions of bets that are placed each year. Casinos also use technology to supervise their games; for example, roulette wheels are electronically monitored minute by minute so that the casinos can detect any statistical deviations quickly.