A Casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. It’s also known as a gambling hall or card room. Casinos can have a wide variety of games, and some even offer live dealers. These are becoming more and more popular among players, as they provide a real-time gaming experience from the comfort of their own home.
Gambling almost certainly predates history, with primitive protodice (cut knuckle bones) and carved six-sided dice discovered at the oldest archaeological sites [source: Schwartz]. But a casino as a venue for finding a multitude of ways to gamble under one roof did not emerge until the 16th century, during a gambling craze that swept Europe, with Italian aristocrats hosting private parties in places called ridotti.
Modern casinos use technology to help regulate the games. Video cameras monitor the action; chips with built-in microcircuitry allow casinos to track bets minute by minute; and roulette wheels are electronically monitored regularly to discover any statistical deviation from expected results. In addition to these measures, casino security personnel frequently watch the action through catwalks in the ceiling, or even from remote locations via closed circuit TV.
Casinos employ many tricks to draw and keep gamblers. They have bright and gaudy décor, often in the color red, which is believed to stimulate the senses and increase gambling activity. More than 15,000 miles of neon tubing is used to light the casino buildings along the Las Vegas Strip. The pulsing lights, bells and clang of coins falling attract attention from passers-by. Casinos also arrange the slot machines and tables in a maze-like fashion so that wandering patrons are constantly enticed by more betting options.