A casino is a place where people gamble by playing games of chance, or sometimes skill. The most common casino games are poker, blackjack, roulette and craps. Most of these games have mathematically determined odds that give the house an advantage over the players, and the house takes a small commission called the rake from each game. Casinos may also give out complimentary items (complimentary goods or services) to gamblers, known as comps.

Security is an important issue at casinos, given the large amounts of money handled within them. Many casinos employ cameras, while others have sophisticated technology to monitor the actual games themselves. In a process called “chip tracking,” for example, betting chips with built-in microcircuitry interact with electronic systems at tables to allow casinos to oversee the exact amount wagered minute by minute and quickly warn them of any statistical deviation from expected results.

In addition to gambling, a casino often includes restaurants and bars, and some offer live entertainment from well-known artists or local acts. Some even have rooftop pools, water slides and spas. Some casinos are huge, occupying entire city blocks and featuring multiple floors of gaming space. Other casinos are much smaller, and focus on a single type of game. For example, a poker casino might only have a few tables. Many of these casinos are located in resorts, and they cater to locals as well as tourists. They are a significant source of revenue for their owners, who generally must pay taxes on them.