A casino is a gambling establishment with table games and/or slot machines. The word is derived from the Latin casina, meaning “a small country house.” Casinos feature stimulating atmospheres and opulent furnishings that encourage gamblers to spend more money than they intend. They also provide a variety of entertainment to attract and keep customers, including dazzling stage shows and a full range of restaurants.
The use of a casino in place of a private home or public hall for gaming purposes dates to the 19th century. During this period, a number of European countries passed laws allowing for the operation of casinos.
Many modern casinos make heavy investments in technology to supervise their games, in particular video cameras and electronic systems that monitor betting chips with built-in microcircuitry to allow for minute-by-minute oversight of the exact amounts wagered; roulette wheels are electronically monitored regularly to discover any statistical deviation from their expected results; and other devices monitor all areas of a casino for security violations by patrons and staff members.
In the United States, casinos are classified by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code 713210. This category includes all establishments that operate tables for wagering on game-of-chance outcomes. Some casinos include a hotel and a restaurant on the same property, which are included in the NAICS codes of 721120 and 713210. In 2004, there were commercial casinos in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, South Dakota, and West Virginia; and Native American casinos in twenty-eight states.