Gambling has been known in almost every society throughout history and there are many accounts of games of chance being played as entertainment.  Casinos themselves date back as far as the 1600’s but the first official account of gambling, or games of chance, is given by Chinese records in 2300 BC.  Little has changed over history when it comes to members of the public looking for entertainment, so gambling has persisted as a means of meeting people, having fun and winning money.

The word casino was originally used to describe public buildings where pleasurable activities could occur and therefore was used to describe buildings such as dance halls, theatres and restaurants; it did not always designate a place where games of chance were played.  Over time the word has become synonymous with games of chance and gambling for money, and in some countries these types of games have been outlawed through a desire for social reform.  For example, in the United States of America, Senate passed the Internet Gambling Enforcement Act 2006 (H.R. 4411), which prevents financial institutions from processing any transaction with an online gambling operator, therefore almost banning gambling through internet casinos.

For states and countries where gambling is legal there are now many online sites allowing players to place a bet in a variety of ways.  These sites are joined by the public as members and allow members to play games for a minimum stake with the opportunity to win large payouts. 

In recent history the world of casinos has moved online, allowing members to play for free or for real, from the comfort of home and allowing casinos to offer better odds due to the reduced overheads of running an online versus a land-based operation.