A casino, also known as a gambling hall or a gaming house, is a place where people can play various games of chance. Whether they are playing poker, blackjack, roulette, or craps, players hope to win money by using their skills and luck. Many casinos offer complimentary drinks, food, or rooms to their customers. Some casinos also have live entertainment. The most popular casino games are slots, video poker, and blackjack.
Gambling in some form or another has been around for a long time, with primitive protodice (cut knuckle bones) and carved six-sided dice found at the earliest archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. The casino as a centralized place for a variety of gambling activities, however, did not develop until the sixteenth century, when a gambling craze swept Europe and Italian aristocrats would hold private parties called ridotti to gamble in secret.
Casinos are designed to stimulate the senses, using bright and sometimes gaudy colors, throbbing music, and a constant flow of noise and excitement. Elaborate surveillance systems provide a high-tech eye-in-the-sky that allows security personnel to monitor every table, window, and doorway. They can even adjust the cameras to focus on suspicious patrons. In addition, many casinos feature a special room where they pay attention to the highest-spending customers. These high rollers are often given comps, or free gifts, worth thousands of dollars.
The first casinos were built in Nevada, but they soon spread to other states as well. They are most often found in cities with a large population of tourists, such as Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Many casinos offer a range of casino games, including table games and slot machines, and are open to visitors of all ages. Some have sports books and racetracks as well, so that gamblers can make bets on horse races and other sporting events.
In 2005, according to Harrah’s Entertainment, the average American casino gambler was a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above-average income. These older adults, who often have more vacation time and spending money than younger adults, made up 23% of all casino gamblers.
While casinos can be fun and exciting, they have their downsides as well. Many studies show that gambling addiction reduces the overall health and welfare of a community, and that local economic benefits from casinos are offset by the cost of treating problem gamblers and lost productivity. Some economists argue that the net effect is negative, with casinos stealing local spending away from other forms of entertainment and generating little or no economic growth.