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A casino is a building that accommodates certain types of
gambling games and
activities. Customers may gamble by playing slot machines or other games of
chance and some skill (e.g., craps,
roulette—for more see casino games). Game
rules usually have mathematically-determined odds that ensure the house
retains an advantage over the players. This advantage is called the edge.
Payout is the percentage given to players. In games such as
poker, the house
takes a commission (a "rake") on bets players make against each other. Casinos
are often placed near or combined with hotels, restaurants and other vacation
attractions to encourage long stays. History The term originally meant a small villa, summerhouse or pavilion built for pleasure, usually on the grounds of a larger Italian villa or palazzo. There are examples of such casinos at Villa Giulia and Villa Farnese. During the 19th century, the term casino came to include other more public buildings where pleasurable activities, including gambling and sports, took place. An example of this type of building is the Newport Casino. Eventually this term in Italian now designates a bordello (also called "casa chiusa" literally "closed house"), while the gambling house is spelled casinò with an accent. |