A casino is like an indoor amusement park for adults. It has dazzling lights, five-star food entertainment and of course slot machines, blackjack, poker, roulette and other games that generate billions in profits for casinos each year. While all of these attractions help draw in visitors, the real reason a casino exists is to make money from gambling.
Gambling in some form has been around since the beginning of civilization. Ancient Mesopotamia, Greece and Rome, Napoleon’s France and Elizabethan England all had forms of gambling. Casinos, however, came into existence in the late 19th century. They were first developed by gangsters who wanted to control the flow of money coming into their mob-run operations. As they gained in popularity, they were bought out by hotel companies and real estate investors with deep pockets who saw the potential profits that could be made from a well-run casino business.
With their elaborate themes, luxurious hotels and restaurants, upscale shopping centers and dazzling entertainment, it’s no wonder that casinos fascinate people of all walks of life. But what goes on behind the scenes? We look at the inner workings of a casino, from how they’re designed to attract gamblers, how the games are played and the dark side of gambling.
As you’d expect, casinos take major steps to ensure that fraud and illegal activities don’t happen. They check IDs, monitor transactions and use a variety of other equipment to prevent criminal activity. They also offer big bettors extravagant inducements that can include free spectacular entertainment, luxury living quarters and transportation.
