A casino is a place where people can gamble on various games of chance. Besides gambling, it usually offers restaurants and free drinks. It is also home to stage shows and dramatic scenery. Casinos have become a major tourist attraction in many places. Some casinos are very elaborate, while others are more modest. But no matter how lavish, they all offer a unique gambling experience.

Gambling probably predates history, with https://www.larevolucioncomedor.com/ primitive proto-dice (cut knuckle bones) and even carved six-sided dice found in ancient archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. The casino as a place to find a variety of ways to gamble under one roof did not develop until the 16th century when a gambling craze swept Europe, leading Italian aristocrats to hold private parties at their homes called ridotti, where gambling was the primary activity.

In the 1950s, organized crime money flowed steadily into Reno and Las Vegas casinos. But mobster owners were not content to simply bankroll the businesses; they wanted sole or partial ownership and the power to control the operations. Government crackdowns and the threat of losing a license at the slightest hint of Mafia involvement soon drove the mafia out of the casino business. Real estate investors and hotel chains, with deeper pockets than the mafia had, quickly took over.

Today, most casinos focus their investments on high rollers, players who spend more than the average player at a given game. They are often rewarded with comps, like free rooms and meals or tickets to shows. In the future, casinos will probably continue to refine their offerings to attract and retain these high-stakes players.