A casino is a gambling establishment that offers customers a wide variety of games of chance. It also may host live entertainment, such as concerts or stand-up comedy, and is often located near hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. In some countries, casinos are regulated by law.
The word casino comes from the Latin ca
In the United States, the first legal casinos were built in Nevada during the 1950s. At the time, legitimate businessmen were reluctant to invest in casinos because of their seamy association with illegal gambling operations. Mafia figures, however, had plenty of cash from drug dealing and extortion schemes, and they were willing to finance casinos. In return, they got sole or partial ownership of the facilities and exerted control over personnel.
Most casino games have a mathematical expectation of winning or losing, which gives the house an edge over players. To offset this, casinos offer high rollers extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment and elegant living quarters. They also give lesser bettors free drinks, food, and cigarettes. In addition, casinos may take a rake, or a percentage of the total bets made, from some games.