A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. It’s not just about slot machines and blackjack tables; the best casinos around the world feature top-notch hotels, spas, restaurants, and live entertainment. There are even a few famous casinos that have made it into movies and TV shows.
Something about gambling—perhaps the sheer amount of money involved—seems to encourage people to cheat and steal, either in collusion with each other or independently. This is why casinos invest a lot of time and money in security measures. They use cameras to monitor the activities of patrons, and they have catwalks above the gaming floors that allow security personnel to look down on the people below. Casinos also make sure to decorate in bright, sometimes gaudy colors that are meant to stimulate the senses and entice gamblers. They don’t put clocks on the walls because they want players to lose track of time and stay longer.
The word casino comes from the Italian kasino, meaning “little house.” Gambling houses became more common in Italy as laws against them were relaxed, but it was only in the nineteenth century that the term began to spread to other countries, such as Germany and France. In America, Nevada was the first state to legalize casinos, but they were soon followed by Atlantic City and New Jersey. Today, there are over 1,000 casinos in operation worldwide, with many more under construction.
