A casino is a place where people can gamble by chance. Some casinos add a few extra luxuries, such as restaurants and free drinks, but any place that houses gambling activities can be called a casino. Casinos are usually a big attraction for tourists and attract visitors from all over the world. Some people travel specifically to visit casinos, while others inadvertently encounter them during their vacations.

Casinos earn their money by charging a small percentage of each bet made in the casino. This house advantage can be very small, less than two percent, but it can add up over the millions of bets placed in a casino each year. Casinos can use this income to pay for elaborate hotels, fountains, towers and replicas of famous landmarks.

Most casinos offer a wide variety of gambling games, but they are especially known for their blackjack and poker. Slot machines are also a popular choice in casinos, but they often have higher house edges than table games.

Casino security starts on the floor, where casino employees keep an eye on patrons to make sure they are playing fairly. Dealers are particularly alert to blatant cheating, like palming or marking cards and dice. Pit bosses and table managers have a broader view, watching for betting patterns that might signal cheating. Casinos are also using technology to keep an eye on their own games: chips with built-in microcircuitry allow casinos to monitor the exact amounts wagered minute by minute; and roulette wheels are monitored electronically to discover any statistical deviations from their expected outcomes.