A casino, also known as a gambling house or a gaming establishment, is an institution where people can play a variety of games of chance for real money. These include slot machines, blackjack, roulette, poker, craps, keno and more. A casino can be found around the world and is regulated by government legislation in some countries. While some casinos are very large and luxurious, others are smaller and less opulent. Many casino games have a social component and players often interact with each other, either directly or indirectly, through the game rules. Casinos are most often located near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and other tourist attractions.

The precise origins of gambling are obscure, but it is widely believed that games of chance have been played for entertainment throughout history. Ancient carved dice and primitive game boards suggest early forms of gambling, while modern casino games such as roulette, baccarat, pai gow poker, and blackjack developed during the 16th century. The term casino is most likely derived from Italian, where it denoted a villa or summerhouse. It later became a place for the rich to hold private parties, and was eventually used to describe any gambling venue in European cities.

Casinos make money by charging patrons a percentage of each bet, or vigorish. This fee can vary based on the game, but is usually between two and four percent of each bet. This revenue stream has enabled casinos to build elaborate hotels, fountains and replicas of famous landmarks.

Many casinos feature a wide variety of casino games, including those that are unique to a particular region or culture. For example, Asian casinos tend to offer several traditional Far Eastern games, such as sic bo, fan-tan and pai gow poker. They may also offer other games of local interest, such as two-up in Australia and banca francesa in Portugal.

Various security measures are implemented to protect the assets of the casino and prevent cheating or theft by patrons. Most casinos have surveillance cameras that monitor all areas of the casino. The cameras can be aimed at specific patrons to focus on suspicious behavior. Some casinos also have catwalks above the gambling floor, which allow security workers to look down on the tables and slot machines through one-way glass.

Because of the large amounts of money that are handled within a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to steal or cheat. These attempts are generally unsuccessful because the routines of the games, the location of the betting spots on the table and the expected reactions and motions of the players follow certain patterns that can be easily spotted by security personnel. In addition to cameras, most casinos employ a number of other security measures, including the use of specialized cards and chips with built-in microcircuitry that can track bets minute by minute; and computerized systems for monitoring table game outcomes, which can detect any statistical deviation from expectations.