A casino is an establishment for gambling. Most casinos feature a variety of games for players to choose from, including slot machines, table games, and more. Some casinos also offer live entertainment such as concerts and stand-up comedy. In some cases, casinos are combined with hotels or other tourist attractions such as theme parks.
In some games, such as blackjack or poker, a casino’s advantage is mathematically calculable. These games are considered to have a skill element and the house edge is calculated as the difference between the expected return on each hand (assuming optimal play without card counting) and the player’s bet size. In other games, such as roulette or craps, the casino’s advantage is based on the number of players and the specific rules of the game.
Gambling has been a part of human culture for millennia. It is believed that primitive protodice were found in China in 2300 BC, while carved knuckle bones and playing cards appeared in Europe around the 1400s. The modern casino, however, did not appear until the 16th century. At that time, a gambling craze swept the world and Italian aristocrats would hold private parties at their homes called ridotti.
Because casinos deal in large amounts of money, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal. This is why many casinos spend a great deal of time and money on security. Many have catwalks in the ceiling, allowing surveillance personnel to look directly down through one-way glass on the activities at the tables and slot machines. In addition, some casinos have cameras located throughout the building.