A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. In its broadest sense, it refers to a facility for gaming such as in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but it can also refer to a card room, race track, riverboat casino or any other place where people play games of chance and skill. Casinos generate billions in revenue for the companies, investors, and Native American tribes that own them, as well as for state and local governments that regulate them. In addition to gambling, some casinos feature restaurants and bars, retail shops, entertainment venues such as concert halls or comedy clubs, and even host live sports events.
A significant portion of casino profits comes from high rollers, a group of gamblers that spend tens of thousands of dollars per visit. To attract them, many casinos build special rooms off the main floor where they can gamble without interruption and be served by personal assistants. In addition, these gamblers receive “comps,” or complimentary items, such as food, rooms, and show tickets.
Although casino gambling probably predates written history, it became more formalized during the 16th century when a craze for dice games swept Europe. These were not the simple astragali of primitive protodice or carved six-sided dice, but sophisticated machines whose results could be predicted by mathematical formulas and controlled by computer chips. This type of casino, known as a ridotto, was often located in private homes of Italian aristocrats.