When you hear the word casino, you probably think of a Las Vegas megaresort pulsing with neon lights and gambling action. But the definition of a casino is much broader than that. Merriam Webster defines it as “a building or room used for social amusements, especially gambling.”

The casino business is big money. Successful ones rake in billions of dollars each year for the companies, investors and Native American tribes that own and operate them. State and local governments also reap the benefits of gambling tax revenues.

Although gambling almost certainly predates recorded history, the concept of a single place where people could find all sorts of ways to gamble under one roof didn’t develop until the 16th century. A gambling craze in Europe at that time led to the creation of Italian “ridotti,” where aristocrats would gather for private parties with all kinds of gambling activities.

The odds are stacked in favor of the house at all casino games, although the size of the edge varies from game to game. Sic bo and keno have the biggest edges, while blackjack and video poker have the smallest. The fact is, no matter what you play, the house always wins in the long run.

Modern casinos have a highly trained security department that oversees the gambling floor. They use a combination of physical security forces and a specialized surveillance system that monitors the activity of all players through a closed circuit television network known as the “eye in the sky.” The system makes it possible for security personnel to quickly spot anomalies and take action before a problem occurs.