A casino is a building that houses gambling games. It may also be combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are known for hosting live entertainment events, such as stand-up comedy shows and theater productions.
Modern casinos are often https://coalingachamber.org/ modeled after the luxurious resorts of Las Vegas, and they can be quite expensive to visit. While musical shows, lighted fountains, and elaborate themes help draw in the crowds, casinos would not exist without the billions of dollars in profits raked in by games of chance such as slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, keno, and baccarat.
Gambling likely predates recorded history, with primitive protodice and carved six-sided dice among the earliest archaeological finds. However, the casino as a place where people could find a variety of ways to gamble under one roof didn’t develop until the 16th century, during a gambling craze that spread from Italy to Europe and the Americas.
The United States has the largest number of casinos in the world, with Las Vegas leading the pack. Other large gambling centers include Atlantic City, New Jersey; Chicago; and Puerto Rico. In addition to the traditional casino, there are a growing number of Native American casinos throughout the country.
The term casino has become a generic name for any type of gambling establishment, and it is used in many languages. The examples in this article have been programmatically compiled from various online sources and are not intended to represent the opinions of Merriam-Webster or its editors.