Casino is a popular destination for tourists and locals to gamble, drink, dine and enjoy live entertainment. It also offers an array of other amenities like a shopping mall, spa, pool and theater. Its location in downtown Las Vegas makes it easy to get to. Its sleek design and modern amenities are also a big draw.
While some casinos have a seedy backroom look that plays to stereotypes, the vast majority of large professional casino complexes are clean, safe and well-regulated. They employ security guards and have police on patrol. They promote responsible gambling and offer self-exclusion tools to players who want to limit their gaming activity.
Gambling in its various forms, from the casual game of dice to a full-blown game of poker has been part of human society for millennia. The first documented game of chance was played in 2300 BC China, with the invention of wood blocks for use in games of chance around 500 AD and the introduction of playing cards in the 1400s.
Casino, an epic crime drama, has the distinction of being one of the most realistic depictions of what Vegas is really all about. It goes beyond the typical partying and weekend getaways to show the dark underbelly of organized crime, showing how it was woven into politics, teamsters unions, Chicago mobs and even a Kansas City mafia operation. It is a very different picture from the glossy Hollywood portrayals that we are used to seeing of Vegas.