A casino, or gambling house, is an establishment that allows patrons to gamble for money. The games offered by casinos include table games like baccarat, blackjack, and roulette, as well as video poker and sports betting. Most casinos are located in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, but there are also many others around the world. The word is derived from the Latin casin
Casinos make their money by taking a commission on each bet placed by customers. This is usually called a vig or rake and can vary between games, but generally is lower than two percent. The vig is used to cover the cost of operating the casino and its facilities, such as electricity and security.
Gambling in some form is practiced throughout the world and has been since ancient times. It is believed that the Greeks, Romans, and ancient Egyptians all gambled in some fashion. Modern casinos are heavily regulated and have strict security measures in place to prevent cheating and theft by both employees and patrons.
In addition to the obvious physical security forces, casinos use sophisticated technology to monitor their games. This includes “chip tracking,” whereby betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that enable the casino to oversee the amount wagered minute by minute and immediately detect any anomaly; electronic surveillance of table games, such as baccarat, to discover patterns in play; and automated roulette wheels, which are regularly monitored for statistical deviations.