A Casino is a popular establishment where people gamble on games of chance. The atmosphere is exciting and the thrill of winning is unmatched. But many people don’t know what goes on behind the scenes at these casinos. This article takes a look at the history of casinos, how they make money and what to expect when visiting one.
Gambling has been around for a long time, with primitive protodice and carved six-sided dice found at the most ancient archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. However, the modern casino as we think of it didn’t develop until the 16th century when a gambling craze swept Europe and Italian aristocrats began holding private parties at their homes known as Ridotto (a word that eventually made its way into English).
Today, a casino is more like an indoor amusement park than a place to try your luck at winning a jackpot. Musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers draw in customers, but the billions of dollars that casinos bring in each year come from the games themselves: slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and poker.
Casinos use sophisticated security systems to monitor the activities of their patrons. Cameras positioned throughout the facility provide an eye-in-the-sky that can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons and to follow certain game play. Casinos also employ chip tracking technology to oversee betting patterns and to detect anomalies in the game’s statistical expected value. Despite this, something about gambling seems to encourage cheating and stealing by some patrons.