A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. It is often combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. It may also offer entertainment, such as live music and shows. Many casinos have slot machines and other electronic games, but some are known for their table games. Some are renowned for their elegance and style, such as the Bellagio in Las Vegas, or for their historical significance, such as the Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Historically, most casinos were operated by private individuals or groups, with the public invited to gamble in the private rooms. However, in the late 1990s a number of American states amended their laws to permit public gaming, and large casinos opened on Indian reservations.
Most casinos feature a variety of table games, including roulette, baccarat, and blackjack. Some casinos also have video poker. Many casino games have an inherent long-term disadvantage to the house, which is known as the house edge or vigorish. Players who possess sufficient skills can overcome the house advantage and win, earning a profit in the short term.
Casinos use a variety of methods to ensure that their customers are safe and their money is secure. They have physical security forces and specialized departments that investigate and prevent crime. In addition, they employ a variety of technology to monitor their operations. For example, some tables have betting chips with built-in microcircuitry to allow casinos to supervise the exact amount of money wagered minute-by-minute and to quickly detect any anomaly; in other cases, the results of spins on a roulette wheel are electronically monitored to identify any suspicious pattern.