A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. The term is most often used in reference to a facility located in a city or town that has licensed and regulated gaming activities. The casinos offer a variety of games that appeal to a wide range of consumers, including poker, blackjack, craps, roulette and video poker. Some also have restaurants and bars.

A number of security measures are implemented to keep the patrons of a casino safe from cheating and stealing. The most obvious are security cameras, which monitor every area of the facility. However, security measures also involve the observation of patterns in game play. For example, the order in which dealers shuffle and deal cards or position betting spots on tables follows specific patterns that can be easily spotted if someone is trying to deviate from this routine.

Table games are games where players sit around a table and interact directly with one another or the croupier/dealer. These games usually require strategic thinking and decision-making skills as well as a bit of luck. Popular table games include card games like poker and blackjack, dice and wheel games such as craps and roulette, and tile-based games such as baccarat and pachinko. These games are typically played for money and the house has a built-in mathematical advantage, known as the house edge. This advantage can be low, but it makes enough money that casinos are able to pay out winnings to the winners and give comps (complimentary goods or services) to big spenders.