A casino is a place where people gamble on games of chance and skill. These can be played at tables, slot machines and poker rooms, or even in a bar or restaurant with a game of cards. The best casinos are often lavish resorts, but they can also be smaller, more intimate places. Some have a high-end restaurant, a swank bar and other amenities. Casinos can be found around the world and attract a wide variety of visitors, from the average weekend-bus-tripper to the high-stakes gamer.
Gambling has been a part of human society for millennia. The earliest evidence of gambling dates from 2300 BC in China, when dice and playing cards appeared. Today, the casinos of Las Vegas, Monte Carlo and elsewhere lure millions of visitors with their games of chance.
The term “casino” is derived from the Latin word for “house,” and has come to refer to a public building where games of chance are played. In the United States, casinos are licensed and regulated by state governments. They must meet certain minimum requirements in terms of size, security and other amenities. The casinos also pay taxes to the state and local governments. The gambling industry contributes billions of dollars to the economy.
In the 1990s, technology transformed the casino business. Video cameras and computer systems supervise casino operations, allowing for minute-by-minute monitoring of gambling activity. The technology allows casinos to see how much money is wagered on each game, and to monitor activity for suspicious patterns. In addition, many casinos offer a service called chip tracking, where betting chips with built-in microcircuitry are tracked and monitored by computer systems.
As the demand for gambling increased, more companies wanted to get into the business. Casino owners realized they could make a lot of money by offering upscale amenities and high-end entertainment to attract visitors, such as free drinks, stage shows and dramatic scenery. This strategy worked. The most famous casinos now include the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the Bellagio in Paris and the City of Dreams in Macau.
The typical casino gambler is a forty-six-year-old woman from a family with an above-average income. These customers tend to have more vacation time and available spending money than younger adults. According to research conducted by Harrah’s Entertainment, in 2005, about 23% of American adults visited a casino at least once that year. This translates into more than 51 million people. Of these, about half are women, and 40% are older than age fifty. These numbers are up substantially from 1989, when the percentage of casino gamblers was just 20%. Moreover, more than three-quarters of these adult casino patrons are from households with at least one child. The figure is more than double for adult men, who are the most frequent casino visitors. The most common casino game is slot machines, which account for 59% of all games played. Other popular casino games are blackjack, poker and roulette. In addition, there are a number of lottery games, including bingo and craps.