Casino is a popular destination for people looking to gamble and enjoy other types of entertainment. While musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and lavish hotels help draw in customers, casinos would not exist without the games of chance that provide the billions of dollars in profits raked in each year. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and poker are just a few of the games that make up the core of casino entertainment.
The etymology of the word casino suggests that it once denoted a villa or summerhouse, but today a casino is more than just an entertainment venue: It can be attached to prime dining and drink facilities, as well as performance venues for pop, rock, jazz and other artists. The gaming floor of a major casino will feature thousands of slot machines and tables for various table games such as sic bo (which spread from Far Eastern casinos to several European and American ones during the 1990s), fan-tan, and pai-gow.
Because large amounts of money are handled within a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently; for this reason, most casinos spend a significant amount of time and resources on security. Cameras and other surveillance equipment are commonplace in casinos, as are rules of conduct and behavior that are meant to keep everyone on the right side of the law. Many states also include statutory funding for responsible gambling initiatives as part of the licensing conditions for casinos.