A Casino is a place where people gamble on games of chance. These games can include poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, keno and more. While musical shows, lighted fountains, restaurants and luxury hotel suites attract many patrons, casinos would not exist without games of chance, which generate the billions in profits casinos rake in each year.

Gambling probably predates recorded history, with primitive protodice and carved six-sided dice found in ancient archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. However, the modern casino as a venue that offered a variety of ways to gamble under one roof did not develop until the 16th century during a gambling craze. At that time, Italian aristocrats often held private parties at gambling houses known as ridotti, which were technically illegal, but they were rarely bothered by the Inquisition.

Today, a modern casino is like an indoor amusement park for adults, with the vast majority of revenue coming from gambling. In addition to a variety of casino games, most offer restaurants and bars with food and drinks available to players. Many also feature a wide range of entertainment, such as stage shows and dramatic scenery.

Security in a casino is based largely on cameras, which watch every table, window and doorway. The high-tech eye-in-the-sky surveillance systems are adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons by security workers in a room filled with banks of security monitors. In addition, casinos follow a series of routines for games such as baccarat (known as chemin de fer in the United Kingdom and trente et quarante in France). The patterned behavior makes it easy for security to spot deviations from the norm.