A casino is a gambling establishment offering a variety of games of chance and entertainment. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. They may also offer stage shows, free drinks and dramatic scenery to attract patrons. Many casinos feature multiple gambling products and are open to players of all ages.

Something about the large amounts of money handled in casinos encourages cheating and stealing, either in collusion or independently. Because of this, casinos spend a great deal of time, effort and money on security measures. Elaborate surveillance systems offer a high-tech eye-in-the-sky that allows security workers to monitor every table, window and doorway at the same time. They can even zoom in on suspicious patrons. Casinos also have a number of methods for ensuring that slot machine payouts are random. They use a special computer chip to determine the results of each spin, which can be monitored by security personnel.

Despite the glitzy trappings, a casino is really just a business. It makes money by taking advantage of the statistical expectancy that gamblers will win or lose at different games. In the long run, that edge is enough to justify the elaborate hotels, fountains, pyramids and towers that define a modern casino. It is also enough to provide the billions of dollars in profits raked in each year by casinos. This article will explore what a casino is, how they make their money, popular games and betting options, and the dark side of gambling.