The Casino — a place to gamble on games of chance like blackjack, roulette, poker and craps — generates billions of dollars for its owners each year. In addition to gambling, many casinos offer shows, restaurants, hotels and entertainment. Some even have spas and shopping centers. But in the end, it’s the games that bring in the money.

Casinos go to great lengths to entice people to gamble and keep them gambling as long as possible. They invest millions of dollars in determining what colors, sounds and scents are most appealing to casino patrons. For example, the dazzling Bellagio in Las Vegas is known for its fountain shows and luxurious accommodations and has been featured in numerous movies. Other famous casinos include the Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco, the Casino Lisboa in Lisbon and the Casino Baden-Baden in Germany.

In 2005, the average casino gambler was a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above-average income. About 23% of those who visit casinos do so alone, while 77% go with family members, friends or organized groups. And although it is not uncommon to see a group of men dressed in tuxedos at the tables, women outnumber men at the casinos.

A big reason for the high percentage of women at casinos is that for much of the nation’s history, gambling was illegal. In fact, it was only in the 1970s that real estate investors and hotel chains had enough money to buy out the mobsters who controlled many of the early gaming operations. That, coupled with federal crackdowns on mob ties to gambling licenses, kept the Mafia out of casinos for the most part.