A casino is a gambling establishment that houses various games of chance and, often, other entertainment activities. In the modern sense of the word, casinos are highly elaborate structures with a wide variety of luxury amenities for patrons to enjoy. But the concept of a casino has existed in less lavish forms for much longer than you might expect.
Until the 1950s, when organized crime began funneling large sums of cash into Reno and Las Vegas, legitimate businessmen were wary of investing in casinos because of their seamy reputation. Mob money changed all that, and mob figures not only provided the capital for the new ventures but became personally involved in them as well, taking sole or partial ownership of many casinos, and directing their operations to ensure maximum profits.
In the modern sense of the word, casinos have a wide variety of amenities for patrons to enjoy, including restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. They also enforce strict security measures. Among these are electronic monitoring of the game results, which can detect deviations from expected probabilities. Casinos are also staffed by mathematicians who specialize in gaming analysis.
Casinos are also regulated by state or provincial authorities. In some jurisdictions, the establishments may offer only certain types of gaming, such as baccarat (or chemin de fer in the United States) and trente et quarante in France. In other cases, they may offer a wider range of table games, such as blackjack and roulette.