As disposable income increases around the world, casino resorts are expanding to accommodate the demand for a glamorous destination where gamblers can enjoy luxury accommodations, dining, entertainment and shopping. While musical shows, lighted fountains and elaborate themes help draw in the crowds, casinos would not exist without games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and other table games provide the billions in profits that casinos bring in each year.

The word casino derives from the Italian for a small villa or summerhouse, and it may have been the inspiration for some early gambling halls. The first modern casinos developed in the United States and Europe, where state laws permitted them to be built. Some were on American Indian reservations, allowing them to avoid local prohibitions against gambling.

Most casino games are based on chance, but some require skill. The house edge is the mathematical advantage that the casino gains over players, and it varies from game to game. A skilled player can reduce the house edge by learning the odds and strategies of each game. A novice may lose money quickly, no matter how well they play.

Elaborate security systems provide a high-tech eye-in-the-sky that lets security personnel keep track of what’s happening on and off the gaming floor. Those systems have helped thwart the efforts of infamous crooks like John Dillinger and Frank Abagnale to steal large sums of cash. But even the most sophisticated security measures can’t stop some people from acting in ways that alarm security staff. One guard told the story of a man who stood at a slot machine soiling himself to try to win big money.