Gambling, in all its forms–from a casual game of dice with friends to the high-stakes games played at casinos–has been a part of human civilization for millennia. The oldest evidence of gambling dates back to 2300 BC in China, with dice appearing in Rome in 500 AD and card games in the 1400s. In the twentieth century, casinos became popular in Europe and on American Indian reservations where state antigambling laws did not apply.

Casinos are often themed and designed to transport patrons to another world. Elaborate decorations, dazzling lights, and enticing noises help create the atmosphere. Some casinos feature restaurants, bars, and theaters as well as gambling floors.

In order to ensure that they maximize their profits, casinos analyze the odds of each of their games and hire mathematicians to perform this work. These professionals are known as gaming mathematicians or gaming analysts. The work they do helps the casino to understand what kind of money it can expect to make as a percentage of turnover, and how much in the way of cash reserves it might need.

Since every game offers a mathematical probability of winning, it is extremely rare for a casino to lose money. This virtual assurance of gross profit allows casinos to offer large bettors extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment and transportation, elegant living quarters, and reduced-fare hotel rooms. These incentives are meant to attract high rollers who can spend tens of thousands of dollars on a single bet.