A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. Although gambling probably predates recorded history, the modern casino as a venue for a variety of gambling activities did not develop until the 16th century during a gambling craze in Europe. Early casinos were merely places for music and dancing, or rooms where aristocrats could find the carved six-sided dice called astragali they used for their private games.

In the 1950s, as Nevada consolidated its hold on American tourists, mobster money began flowing into Reno and Las Vegas. The mobsters saw the opportunity to profit from the casino business by investing in the businesses, becoming sole or partial owners, and even directing or influencing game outcomes. The Mafia’s seamy image, however, caused many legitimate businessmen to stay away from the industry, and federal crackdowns on mobsters forced many to move their gambling operations off the Strip.

Today, the most popular casinos are in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. They feature a wide array of table games, slot machines and poker rooms. They also provide a variety of luxuries like restaurants, free drinks and stage shows to attract visitors.

Most casinos offer some form of security, including surveillance cameras and employees who watch players. In addition, casino security staff are trained to spot patterns of behavior that might indicate cheating or stealing. Given the large amounts of currency that are handled inside a casino, both patrons and employees might be tempted to steal, either in collusion with each other or independently.