A casino is a place where people can legally gamble on games of chance. In addition to gambling, casinos often offer restaurants, theaters and other entertainment. The United States has the largest number of casinos, with Las Vegas leading the way. Casinos vary in size and shape, but most are designed to be visually appealing and to create an enticing atmosphere.

The casino industry makes its money from a percentage of all bets placed within its premises. It is very rare for a casino to lose money on a given day. Because of this virtual certainty of gross profit, casinos are able to offer high rollers extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment and luxury living quarters. Even smaller spenders are rewarded with comps such as free or reduced-fare transportation and meals and drinks while gambling.

Casinos spend a great deal of time and money on security measures, especially because of the large amounts of cash involved. They have cameras throughout the facility, and staff monitor each game for signs of cheating or collusion among patrons. Many casinos also have catwalks above the gaming floor that allow surveillance personnel to look down, through one-way glass, on games.

Casinos are generally open 24 hours and are located in areas with a high population of tourists, such as resort areas or major cities. Some have a wide variety of gambling tables, while others focus on particular games such as craps or poker. In the United States, most casinos are privately owned, but a few are operated by government agencies.