A casino is a facility that offers various forms of gambling, including slot machines and table games like poker and blackjack. Some casinos also offer restaurants and entertainment shows. In order to gamble in a casino, patrons must be of legal age and follow the rules and regulations of the establishment.
Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. They may be operated by a single company or by multiple companies in a franchise arrangement. Those owned by major gambling companies, such as MGM Resorts International, Las Vegas Sands, and Wynn Resorts International, are often referred to as mega-casinos.
Gambling has been a part of human culture for millennia, with the first evidence dating back to 2300 BC in China, where archeologists found dice. Playing cards arrived in Europe in the 1400s, followed by baccarat in the 1600s and blackjack in the 1800s. Today, casino gambling is available in many forms and is a major source of income for several nations.
Some casino gaming is based on skill, but the majority of bets are made on chance. To maximize their profits, casinos establish house edges and variance for each game, which are calculated by mathematically analyzing the probability of various bets being won or lost. These calculations are performed by professionals known as gaming mathematicians and mathematical analysts. Casinos also monitor player behavior to detect and deter cheating and other undesirable activities.
Because of the large amounts of money handled in casinos, security is a key issue. To protect their assets and patrons, casinos employ both a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department that operates closed circuit television systems, or CCTV. These security departments work closely together and have been successful in preventing crime at many casinos.
In addition to security cameras, some casinos have catwalks that extend above the casino floor and allow surveillance personnel to look down through one-way glass at games being played. They also have electronic monitoring systems that can alert managers to any suspicious activity.
Modern casinos have dramatically increased their use of technology to improve the quality of service and the security of their assets. For example, chip tracking allows them to keep tabs on the exact amount of money wagered minute by minute, and roulette wheels are electronically monitored for any statistical deviation from their expected results. These systems help casinos to meet or exceed regulatory requirements.
In the United States, the largest casino is in Ledyard, Connecticut, at Foxwoods Resort Casino, operated by the Mashantucket Pequot tribe. It contains six casinos with a total of 4.7 million square feet of gambling space, featuring 17 different types of table games, more than 1,000 slots, and a two-story arcade. Outside the US, the biggest casino is located in Macau, China. The Venetian Macau is a massive complex that includes five-star hotel accommodations, Michelin-starred restaurants, 350 shops, and a lake with a choreographed fountain show.