A casino (or gambling house, in English) is an establishment for the playing of games of chance. Most casinos offer a wide range of games, such as roulette, blackjack, craps, baccarat and poker, and are open at various hours throughout the day and night.

Some casinos also provide entertainment, such as live music and shows. There are also restaurants and bars at many casinos. Some casinos are located in resorts or tourist destinations, such as Las Vegas and Monaco, where affluent people go to play. Others are found in cities with large populations, such as Los Angeles and London.

Casinos make their money primarily from gambling. Customers gamble by placing bets against the house on games of chance, or in some cases with an element of skill (such as video poker), with mathematically determined odds that give the house an advantage over the players. Casinos also collect a portion of the winnings from the players, a portion called the vig or rake.

Because of the large amounts of money handled within a casino, staff and patrons may be tempted to cheat or steal. For this reason, casinos spend a great deal of time and money on security. Casino security begins with the dealers, who are heavily focused on their own games and can easily spot blatant cheating or theft. Table managers and pit bosses watch over the tables with a broader view, keeping an eye out for betting patterns that might signal cheating.