By adminloboranch
A casino is a place where people can gamble by playing games of chance or skill. Most casinos offer a wide variety of gambling games, including poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, and video poker. Some casinos also have restaurants and stage shows. The word casino is derived from the Italian cazino, diminutive of casa (house). The earliest known casino was in Venice in 1638, although similar establishments existed earlier in Italy and France.
Casinos earn their money by taking a small percentage of the total amount of bets placed. This is called the house edge and it varies depending on the game and how the bets are placed. For example, some video poker machines have a higher house edge than others. Casinos employ mathematicians and computer programmers to calculate the house edge and other statistical information for their games.
Most casinos try to keep their patrons happy and entertained by offering them free drinks, food, and entertainment. The decoration of a casino is designed to give it an air of luxury and wealth. Casinos on the Las Vegas strip, for instance, display a large prize, such as a sports car, in their lobby.
While casinos do generate a lot of revenue, critics argue that they harm the economy by pulling tourists away from other forms of entertainment and by generating crime and addiction among compulsive gamblers. They also argue that the revenue from casinos does not necessarily translate into jobs and taxes for the local community.