Casino, a popular place to play games of chance, earns billions of dollars in profits each year for companies, investors, and Native American tribes that own or operate them. These profits are generated by a combination of gambling and entertainment amenities such as musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers, and lavish hotels.

Although these luxuries help draw in patrons, casinos would not exist without games of chance, which account for the majority of the billions of dollars in annual revenues. The most popular casino games are slot machines, keno, blackjack and roulette, though many other types of gambling are offered as well. The earliest casino was founded in Monaco in the second half of the 19th century, but today’s upscale casinos are found all over the world.

Modern casinos are largely run by major hotel and real estate companies with deep pockets. They have a tendency to eschew Mafia connections, and mob interference is kept to a minimum by the threat of losing their gaming licenses at even the slightest hint of organized crime involvement.

Most modern casinos are built around noise, light and excitement. Gamblers are surrounded by other people and encouraged to shout encouragement, while waiters circulate with alcoholic drinks. Security is also a big part of the casino business, with employees closely monitoring the games for signs of cheating or theft. In addition, casino tables have built in microcircuitry that allows the casino to keep tabs on the amount of money being wagered minute by minute and quickly detect statistical deviations from expected outcomes.