A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. It can be combined with hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. In some countries, casinos are licensed by government regulatory bodies. In others, they operate independently. Some casinos specialize in a particular type of game, such as poker, or offer a wide range of games. Some have catwalks in the ceiling above the casino floor, which allow security personnel to look down, through one way glass, on activities at the tables and slot machines.

While gambling probably predates written history, the casino as a place where people can find a variety of ways to gamble under one roof didn’t develop until the 16th century, when a gambling craze swept Europe and Italian aristocrats gathered in private clubs called ridotti [Source: Poley].

Casinos depend on more than luck to attract visitors. They also need to provide amenities that make guests feel comfortable and at home. That’s why floor shows, free drinks and all-you-can-eat buffets are commonplace. Today, many casinos also offer spas and golf courses.

In the United States, about 51 million people—a quarter of all Americans over 21—visited a casino in 2002. Although the number of people visiting casinos has increased since then, there are concerns that they could become a major source of public health problems. Some worry that casinos attract the poorest of the poor, and encourage addictive behavior by promoting gambling as a form of escape from their problems.