A casino is a place where people can gamble on games of chance. The games may have a skill element, as in poker, or be completely random, as in the case of roulette and baccarat. In any event, the house always has an advantage over the players, and this is called the house edge. The casino makes its money by taking a percentage of the total bets, or rake. Casinos often have restaurants, hotels and other amenities for their patrons.

In addition to providing entertainment, casinos are sometimes a source of revenue for governments. Most countries have legalized casinos to some degree, although many limit their operations or ban them entirely. The United States has the largest number of casinos, with nearly 1,000 in operation. The Las Vegas Valley is the most concentrated area of casinos in the country, with other major gambling centers being Atlantic City, New Jersey and Chicago.

Casinos are staffed by security personnel to prevent cheating and stealing by patrons. The staff also monitors video cameras to detect suspicious activities. They may be tipped off to a potential problem by employees of a specific table or slot machine, and are often trained to spot telltale signs such as body language or the use of special tools.

Most casinos use a system of comps (free goods or services) to reward their best patrons. These rewards may include free hotel rooms, meals, tickets to shows or even limo service and airline tickets. High rollers are a particular target of comps, as they are expected to generate large profits for the casino.