A casino, also called a gambling establishment or simply a casino, is a place where people can play various games of chance for money. The most popular casino games include slots, poker, blackjack, and roulette. Although many casinos offer other types of entertainment, such as stage shows, restaurants and luxury hotels, they are most known for their gambling operations. Casinos often give out free goods and services to players who spend a lot of time playing, such as hotel rooms, meals and tickets to shows. This is called comping.

A modern casino is like an indoor amusement park, with elaborate themes and amenities designed to attract customers. While lighted fountains, music and dramatic scenery add to the atmosphere, casinos would not exist without the billions of dollars in profits generated by their gambling operations. While the etymology of casino can be traced back to primitive dice, the casino as we know it today evolved in the 16th century during a gambling craze that swept Europe. Italian aristocrats hosted parties at places called ridotti, where guests gambled in private, away from public eyes.

Since casinos deal with large amounts of money, they have security measures in place to protect their patrons and staff. The most obvious measure is security cameras, which are placed throughout the building and can be adjusted to focus on particular suspicious activity. Casinos also employ employees to monitor game play and customer behavior. In addition to monitoring games, these employees are trained to recognize when someone is attempting to cheat or steal by watching the way they hold their cards, place their bets and react to the results of their game.