A casino is a facility where people can wager money on games of chance or skill. Originally, a casino was a public hall for music and dancing, but the second half of the 19th century saw a growth in gambling as more countries liberalized their laws on casinos. Modern casinos have expanded to provide a wide variety of gambling opportunities and are often renowned for their luxurious accommodations, breath-taking architecture and world-class entertainment offerings.

Many modern casinos have security measures in place to protect patrons. For example, most have cameras trained on the gaming floor, and many have catwalks over the table that allow surveillance personnel to look down on the games from a safe distance. Additionally, most casinos have rules for players to follow in order to reduce the likelihood of crime.

In the United States, casinos are regulated by state law and must be licensed to operate. They typically feature a large number of slot machines and table games, such as baccarat, chemin de fer, blackjack, and roulette. Some casinos also offer a variety of poker games, including pai gow, Caribbean stud, and seven-card stud. In general, most casino games have mathematically determined odds that ensure the house will win over the player in the long run. This advantage is known as the house edge, and it is a key factor in the profitability of casinos. The house makes a profit in most casino games by taking a percentage of each bet or charging an hourly fee to play.