A casino, also known as a gambling house or a gaming establishment, is an establishment offering a variety of games of chance for public wagering. Casinos are most commonly found in the United States, but also exist in many other countries around the world. They usually feature a large number of slot machines and table games like blackjack, poker, baccarat, craps, and roulette. They also offer a variety of other entertainment options such as musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers, and hotel rooms.
Although casinos depend on luck and chance for their profits, they are business enterprises that must make a profit. As a result, they have built-in advantages over patrons, which are mathematically determined and called the house edge or expected value. Because of this, it is very rare for a casino to lose money on any given day. Nevertheless, patrons may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with other players or independently. Therefore, security measures are a vital part of any casino operation. Casinos often employ a combination of technology and personnel to prevent these activities. Security cameras located throughout the facility, for example, are used to monitor gambling areas and other parts of the building. In addition, employees patrolling the floor watch for suspicious patrons and observe table game betting patterns for signs of cheating. Casinos are also equipped with a system of chimes that emit a sound when a patron hits the wrong button on a machine.