A casino (also known as a gambling house) is an establishment for certain types of gambling. These include games of chance, such as blackjack and roulette, and sports betting. Casinos also offer hotel rooms, restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment. Some casinos are famous and attract visitors from around the world. The Bellagio in Las Vegas is one such casino. Other famous casinos include the Monte Carlo in Monaco, the Casino de Lisboa in Lisbon, and the Casino Baden-Baden in Germany.

A large part of a casino’s income comes from the money bettors place on games. These bets are placed either by placing physical chips or virtual ones on a computer screen. A casino also generates profits from the house edge, or the advantage it has over the player. This advantage is calculated by mathematicians who are called gaming mathematicians and gaming analysts.

Gambling has been part of human culture for millennia. Evidence of dice games dates to 2300 BC, while poker appeared in the 1400s. Modern casinos employ sophisticated security measures to protect their patrons. They use cameras and other technological tools to ensure that players are not cheating or engaging in other prohibited activities.

Successful casinos bring in billions of dollars each year for the companies, investors, and Native American tribes that operate them. They also generate revenue for the states in which they are located and for local governments. In addition to traditional casinos, many states now have racinos, or racetracks that offer casino-type games.