A casino is a facility where people can gamble. The word is a portmanteau of the Italian casino (gambling house) and the French casin (house). In modern usage, casinos are highly commercial enterprises that rake in billions of dollars each year for the companies, investors, and Native American tribes that own them. In addition, local and state governments reap considerable revenue from link sbobet taxing casino profits.
Casinos are usually large and luxurious, with a wide variety of games. They are regarded as places where people can find excitement and relief from everyday worries. Casinos are often located in exotic locations such as Venice, Monaco, and Singapore. In the United States, Las Vegas is by far the most famous casino destination.
Gambling has a long history, with primitive forms such as knucklebones and carved six-sided dice found at archeological sites. The casino as a specific place for gambling did not develop until the 16th century, when a craze for this activity swept Europe. This prompted wealthy people to organize private social occasions in places known as ridotti, and allowed them to gamble without being harassed by the authorities.
As gambling became more accepted in the United States, legitimate businessmen realized the potential profit of this industry. Mafia leaders had plenty of cash from their drug dealing and extortion rackets, and were eager to invest it in Reno and Las Vegas. Eventually, real estate investors and hotel chains bought out the mob, and casinos were run on an entirely legal basis. Today, mob involvement in casinos is extremely rare; federal prosecutions and the threat of losing a gaming license at the slightest hint of mob influence keep mob money out of gambling operations.
