A casino, also known as a gambling hall or a gaming establishment, is a place where people can gamble by playing games of chance. The games played at a casino may include slot machines, table games, and even entertainment shows. To be a patron of a casino, one must be of legal age and follow the rules and regulations of that particular facility.

Casinos make money by taking a percentage of the winning bets. Each game has a mathematically determined advantage for the casino, which is called the house edge (or more precisely, expected value, which is uniformly negative from the player’s perspective). In games such as poker where players play against each other, casinos take a commission on bets that is known as the rake.

Because of the huge sums of money handled within a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal in collusion or independently; thus many casinos use various security measures. In addition to security cameras located throughout the facility, modern electronic systems monitor every betting chip with built-in microcircuitry, enabling casinos to oversee exactly how much is wagered minute by minute and spot any statistical deviations immediately.

Aside from monetary gains, casinos are often attractive to gamblers because they offer the atmosphere and amenities of an exclusive club. They typically feature free drinks, concerts, pools and luxury suites. They try to keep the mood as pleasant and relaxing as possible to increase the amount of time that gamblers spend there and to entice them to come back for more.