A casino is a facility where games of chance are played and gambling is the primary activity. Unlike other gambling venues, such as racetracks and card rooms, casinos usually add a host of extras to attract gamblers, such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. In some cases, a casino is even located within a hotel.

Although gambling almost certainly predates recorded history (primitive protodice and carved six-sided dice have been found at archaeological sites), the casino as a place to find a variety of ways to gamble under one roof did not develop until the 16th century, when Europeans experienced a flurry of bacchanalia and aristocrats met in small private gambling houses called ridotti [Source: Schwartz]. In fact, these ridotti were so popular that they rarely bothered with legal authorities, which is why gambling was not illegal in Italy until a few decades later.

The development of the modern casino was spurred by Nevada’s success and accelerated in the early 1990s when Iowa passed laws allowing “riverboat” casinos. These casinos quickly drew visitors from around the country, prompting other states to legalize gambling and open their own casinos.

The best online casinos offer a comprehensive selection of games, fast loading speeds and easy-to-use platforms. They also offer convenient deposit and withdrawal options, with a wide range of secure and trusted payment methods. You should verify the legitimacy of a casino before playing for real money by finding its license number on its website and cross-reference it with the issuing agency’s official registry.