A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. There are a variety of casino games to choose from, including slots, table games, poker and bingo. Some casinos also feature exotic games, such as baccarat, sic bo and fan-tan. Some casinos also offer live entertainment and restaurants.

There is a built-in advantage in every casino game, which can be small but over time adds up to substantial profits for the operators. This edge, known as the house edge or vig, can vary by game, but it is always present. It is usually higher in games that involve skill, such as blackjack and Spanish 21, and lower in those that do not, such as video poker. The house edge can be reduced by learning the basic strategy for each game and by using tools such as card counting.

Casinos are heavily regulated to ensure the safety and integrity of patrons and employees. Security begins on the floor, where dealers and pit bosses keep close watch over all activities, catching blatant cheating like palming, marking or switching cards and dice. Casinos increasingly employ advanced technology to monitor games. For example, chips with microcircuitry enable casinos to track and oversee bets minute by minute; roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover any statistical deviation from their expected results.

Casinos also pay out comps to players who spend a lot of money, such as free rooms, meals and tickets for shows. To qualify for these, a player must ask a casino employee to rate his or her play.