A casino is a place where people go to gamble. It usually features a variety of gambling games, including card games, dice games and slot machines. Some of these games are banked, in which the house has a stake in the outcome of each bet; others are not. Some of the most popular casino games are blackjack, roulette and craps.

Gambling almost certainly predates recorded history, with primitive protodice (cut knuckle bones) and carved six-sided dice found in ancient archaeological sites. But the modern casino as a place where people could find all types of gambling under one roof didn’t develop until the 16th century, when a betting craze swept Europe and wealthy Italian aristocrats built private clubhouses called ridotti to indulge their addiction.

Casinos are designed to appeal to the senses, with lots of light and noise. More than 15,000 miles of neon tubing are used to light casinos along the Las Vegas Strip. People are drawn to the lights, but they also respond to the clang of coins dropping in slot machines and the music that plays at each table. The casinos offer free drinks and food to lure gamblers.

Most casinos focus on high rollers, offering them comps worth tens of thousands of dollars. The money may be used to play in special rooms away from the main casino floor, where the stakes are much higher. The casino may also offer free hotel stays, meals and show tickets to these patrons. The comps are a way for the casino to give back some of the money it has won from the gamblers.