A Casino is a place where people gamble. They may bet money on various games of chance such as poker, blackjack or roulette. Some casinos are open to the public, while others are restricted to members only. Most casinos are located in Las Vegas, Nevada; although other states like Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Chicago are beginning to attract tourists. Some Native American tribes have also opened casinos.

Gambling has always been a popular pastime. Although primitive protodice and carved knuckle bones have been found in archaeological digs, the modern casino did not develop until the 16th century, when a gambling craze swept Europe. European casinos favored baccarat (known as chemin de fer in the UK and trente et quarante in France), blackjack, and poker variants such as pai gow.

Casinos generate profits from their built in statistical advantage, known as the house edge, over the average bet placed by patrons. The edge is relatively small, usually less than two percent. But this profit can add up over time to a considerable amount of gross revenue. That money can then be used for lavish inducements to big bettors, such as free spectacular entertainment or transportation and elegant living quarters.

Because of the large amounts of cash handled within a casino, there is a risk that either patrons or staff will cheat or steal. To counter this, most casinos employ a number of security measures. The most basic is a visible security force that patrols the floor and watches over tables and slot machines. More sophisticated measures include using chips instead of real money, which helps to keep track of how much is being played and makes it harder to conceal cheating.