From the flashing lights of the Las Vegas strip to the illegal pai gow tables in Chinatown, casinos are places where people come to gamble. While musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and hotels help draw in the crowds, the billions of dollars that are wagered each year by casino patrons would not be possible without games of chance. Casinos make money by providing an advantage to the house in all of their games, including poker, blackjack, roulette, craps and video poker. This edge can be very small, but it is enough to generate massive profits.
To attract and retain customers, casinos offer complimentary items (or comps) like food, drink and hotel rooms. These are usually given out to players who show a high level of play or spend a lot of time at the tables. Some casinos even have limo service and airline tickets for their biggest spenders. These perks are designed to encourage gambling and offset the costs of running a casino.
The history of casinos is closely tied to the history of gambling in general. From the days of the Roman Empire and Ancient Mesopotamia to Elizabethan England and Napoleon’s France, gambling has been a popular form of entertainment in almost every culture. In the twentieth century, American states gradually changed their antigambling laws to permit casinos, which are now found all over the world. Many of these casinos are combined with restaurants, hotels and other entertainment facilities, while others stand alone.
