A casino is a gambling establishment with table games like roulette, blackjack and poker. It also has slot machines. Many states have laws regulating casinos, and most include some form of responsible gambling as part of their licensing requirements. Some casinos are operated by private companies, while others are owned by governments.

Casinos make their money by charging a percentage of the total amount bet on games or by taking a percentage of the winnings, or both. The exact origin of casino gambling is unclear, but it appears in almost every culture. Because large amounts of cash are handled within a casino, patrons may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with other patrons or independently. For this reason, casinos spend a significant amount of time, effort and money on security.

Elaborate surveillance systems are one aspect of this security. Some casinos have catwalks over the casino floor, allowing surveillance personnel to look down through one-way glass on activities at tables and slots. Other systems use cameras that can be adjusted to focus on specific patrons or to monitor overall activity.

Casinos often offer big bettors extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment, luxury hotel rooms, reduced-fare transportation and lavish living quarters. However, studies indicate that compulsive gamblers generate a disproportionately large share of casino profits and that the cost of treatment for problem gambling offsets any economic benefits casinos might bring to a community. Most state laws require casinos to display signs alerting patrons to the risk of problem gambling and to provide contact information for responsible gambling organizations that can provide specialized support.