What Is a Casino?

A casino is a public room or building where gambling games (such as roulette, baccarat, blackjack, poker, and slot machines) are played. The term is also used for a collection of such rooms or buildings. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. In military and non-military usage, the term casino is sometimes used for officers’ clubs.

Most casino games are based on chance and involve some element of skill. Many have mathematically determined odds that give the house an advantage over the players, which is known as the house edge. Casinos monitor the house edges of their games and regularly inspect the results of individual game sessions to discover any anomalies that might indicate cheating or other violations. Casinos use gaming mathematicians and computer programmers to perform this work.

Besides traditional casino games, modern casinos frequently feature other types of entertainment, such as concerts and shows. Some also have sports betting facilities where patrons can place bets on American football, boxing, and other sports. Several casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City feature large screen televisions for sports viewing, including the MGM Grand, which features 60 massive plasma screens for sports betting.

Casinos are sometimes a focus of crime, and so security is a major concern for both the management and guests. To combat the potential for criminal activity, most casinos have a dedicated security department that patrols the property and investigates calls for assistance or suspicious or definite criminal activity. Some casinos employ additional methods of security, such as closed circuit television (CCTV) systems.