A casino is a gambling establishment that offers games of chance to patrons. The games are often played with cards, dice or a spinning wheel of fortune. Most casinos also offer nongambling amenities like restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues. The term casino is most associated with Las Vegas, but there are many other casinos located around the world.

In the past, most forms of casino gambling were illegal, but modern casinos make use of a variety of security measures to prevent cheating and theft. In addition to cameras and other technological tools, security staff is on hand to ensure that the rules of each game are being followed by players and employees alike.

Casinos make money by charging a small percentage of each wager to the player, known as the house edge. This advantage can be as low as two percent, but it adds up over the millions of bets that are made each year. In games such as blackjack and video poker, the house also takes a rake of the pot, a portion of each winning hand or spin.

Because of the high stakes involved, casinos are prone to attempts at cheating and stealing by both patrons and employees. This is partly why they spend so much time and money on security. Dealers are trained to spot blatant cheating techniques such as palming or marking, while pit bosses and table managers have a wider view of the tables and can quickly discover patterns in betting that might indicate collusion or fraud.