A casino is a place where you can gamble, play games of chance and try your luck. Most people associate it with Las Vegas, but there are many other places where you can find one.
Gambling almost certainly predates recorded history, with primitive proto-dice (cut knuckle bones) and carved six-sided dice found in archaeological sites. But the modern casino as a place where patrons could find a variety of ways to gamble under one roof did not develop until the 16th century, when European nobles hosted private parties in clubs called ridotti [Source: Schwartz].
These casinos offered an escape from the more mundane aspects of life and offered a chance to win big money through pure luck. Despite this, something about the presence of large amounts of cash encourages people to cheat, steal or scam their way into winning a jackpot; therefore, most casinos spend a considerable amount of time and effort on security.
Casinos use a wide range of technological measures to keep track of all of the activities that take place on the floor and the bets placed on the table games. For example, roulette wheels have built-in microcircuitry that lets casinos monitor the exact amounts of money wagered minute by minute, and computer systems are able to spot unusual patterns in betting that may be indicative of cheating.
In addition to this, they have catwalks that let surveillance personnel look directly down through one way glass on the actions of players at the tables and slot machines. Some even feature a full video wall where sports fans can watch their favorite games.