A casino (also called a gambling house or a gaming room) is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are most often built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and other tourist attractions. Some states have laws regulating the operation of casinos.

Guests gamble in casino games such as blackjack, roulette and slot machines. There are also a variety of other gambling activities such as sports betting and horse racing. In addition to traditional casino games, some modern casinos feature entertainment and themed shows.

In the United States, there are about 3,000 casinos. They are operated by a mix of public and private companies. The majority are owned by investors who specialize in the gaming industry. Some of the largest are located in Las Vegas, Nevada. Others are located on American Indian reservations, which are exempt from state anti-gambling statutes.

Some casinos use technology to keep track of their games. For example, some slots have built-in microcircuitry that allows the casino to monitor the amount of money being wagered minute by minute; other casino tables use “chip tracking” systems to detect any statistical deviation from expected results. Casinos also rely on cameras to monitor their guests and employees for signs of cheating, such as palming, marking, or switching cards or dice.

Despite the flashy images and elaborate themes, casino’s would not exist without games of chance. The billions of dollars in profits they rake in every year comes from the lucky streaks, big wins and losses of those who play their luck at games of chance such as slots, poker, roulette, blackjack, baccarat, craps and keno.