A casino is a place where luxury and luck combine to create an atmosphere of elegance, excitement, and fun. These opulent entertainment centers are a staple of many cities and towns around the world. They are not only famous for their gaming floors but also for their restaurants, hotels, non-gambling games rooms and a whole host of other amenities.
A variety of games are played at casinos, but slot machines are the most popular and generate a greater percentage of a casino’s revenue than any other game. A player simply places a coin in the machine, pulls a lever or pushes a button and watches as bands of colored shapes roll on the reels. If a winning combination is triggered, the player receives a predetermined amount of money. The majority of a casino’s revenue comes from these machines, and even the most luxurious casinos are filled with a large number of them.
Gambling almost certainly dates back to the earliest times, with primitive protodice and carved knuckle bones found in some of the world’s oldest archaeological sites [Source: Schwartz]. However, the casino as we know it today did not develop until the 16th century, when gambling mania swept Europe. Italian aristocrats would gather in private clubs called ridotti to gamble and socialize. The concept spread, and the first government-sanctioned casino, the Ridotto of Venice, opened its doors in 1638.
Nowadays, there are more than 1,000 casinos around the world. Some are smaller, but many are enormous megacasinos with stunning decor and mind-boggling numbers of different games. Some even feature hotels, restaurants, bars, and swimming pools. These massive resorts have become more than just places for people to play a few hands of blackjack or spin a few slots; they have become tourist attractions in their own right. Some have even featured in movies, such as the Casino at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, which was the inspiration for Ocean’s Eleven.