A casino, or gambling house, is a room or building where people can gamble and play games of chance. Some casinos are stand-alone while others are combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships. In addition to gambling, some casinos feature live entertainment such as concerts and shows. The term may also refer to a temporary venue used for gambling during a vacation or convention.
There are three major categories of casino games: gaming machines, table games, and random number games. Gaming machines such as slot machines and video poker offer players a game with a fixed house advantage that is not affected by player skill or knowledge. Table games, such as baccarat, blackjack, and craps, require the involvement of casino employees called croupiers. These games are generally played against the house, but some have a skill element and can be beaten by expert players.
Casinos make their profits by taking a percentage of the money bet on various games and offering some amount of that money back to winning patrons. In addition to these regular revenue streams, casinos often entice big bettors with extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment, luxury transportation, and hotel rooms.
Although the exact origin of gambling is not known, it has been present in every society throughout history in one form or another. Even today it is found in most societies and, according to IBIS World, is a $231 billion industry.