A casino is a gambling establishment that offers games of chance, as well as restaurants and other entertainment. Most casinos feature slot machines and table games like blackjack, roulette and craps. They often offer comps to players, free goods and services for people who spend a lot of time playing or wagering large amounts of money. Some examples of these include hotel rooms, meals, shows and even limo service. Casinos also use technology to monitor their games. For example, some tables have betting chips with built-in microcircuitry that allows them to be tracked minute by minute so that any deviation from the expected results can be quickly discovered. These systems are usually designed by specialists in the field called gaming mathematicians and analysts.
Gambling has been a part of human culture for millennia, with evidence of dice and playing cards dating back to 2300 BC. While lavish hotels, dazzling entertainment, lighted fountains and shopping centers help draw people to casino floors, the vast majority of revenue is generated by games of chance like slots, blackjack and poker.
Many people who gamble in casinos do so with the expectation that they will win big money. However, something about the combination of glitzy surroundings and high stakes encourages cheating, stealing and other forms of deception. This is why casinos devote so much time, energy and money to security. OLBG takes a look at some of the world’s most famous casinos, their history and the many ways they protect their patrons.
