A casino is a gambling establishment that accepts wagers on games of chance or skill. Many casinos also offer dining, entertainment, and shopping. Some casinos are owned by religious, charitable, or fraternal organizations; others are operated by national or state governments. Originally, casino gambling was restricted to Nevada and other states with specific laws, but from the 1980s onwards new casinos began appearing in other states and on Indian reservations, where they were not subject to state antigambling statutes.

Some casinos are designed to look grand and spectacular, like the elegant spa town of Baden-Baden in Germany, whose palatial casino first opened its doors 150 years ago. Then it attracted royalty and aristocracy, but nowadays its clientele is more diverse.

Most casinos have mathematically determined odds that give them a slight edge over the players, and this is often expressed as the “house edge.” This advantage may be reduced in games such as roulette by adding a second zero, but it is always present. In poker, where players play against each other, the house takes a rake, which is sometimes given to certain players as “comps.”

Because of the large amounts of money handled within a casino, both patrons and employees may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with each other or independently. This is why most casinos have security measures in place. Typically, a physical security force patrols the facility and investigates reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity, while a specialized department operates the closed circuit television system (CCTV) that is installed throughout the casino.