A casino is a gambling establishment where the majority of the revenue (and profits for the owner) comes from games of chance. While the casinos offer a variety of entertainment options, like musical shows, lighted fountains and shopping centers, they wouldn’t exist without the billions of dollars that gamblers spend on slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and other table games each year.

Gambling has been a part of human society for millennia. Evidence of wooden blocks used in games of chance was found in 2300 BC China, dice appeared in Rome around 500 AD and card games came on the scene in the 1400s.

Modern casinos look a bit like indoor amusement parks for adults with their elaborate themes and attractions, but the vast majority of their profits come from games of chance. Slot machines, poker, baccarat and other table games give the casino a mathematical advantage over their patrons, and that advantage is known as the house edge.

To mitigate the house’s advantage, casinos often use different types of bonuses to attract and retain players. Welcome bonuses, for example, provide new players with a free cash amount that they can gamble with. Refer-a-Friend and VIP bonuses reward loyal players with special perks. And game-specific bonuses offer rewards for playing particular casino games, such as blackjack or roulette. Other bonuses include cashback offers that return a percentage of the player’s lost bets over a specific period. These and other promotions can increase a casino’s profitability.