A casino is a place where gambling activities take place. Although a casino may add luxuries such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows to attract customers, it is primarily a place where gambling is done. The casino industry is booming and casinos are being built all over the world, especially in the United States. The largest concentration of casinos is in the Las Vegas Valley, followed by Atlantic City and Chicago. Casinos are also found on Indian reservations, which are exempt from state antigambling laws.

Most games of chance have a built in house advantage, which can be very small but adds up over the millions of bets placed by patrons. This advantage is known as the house edge, vigorish or rake. Some games have a skill element, such as poker and blackjack, which increases the player’s chance of winning, but most of the money is made by the house, not the players.

Casinos employ many security measures to prevent cheating and stealing. Cameras are located throughout the facility, and employees watch players and tables to detect unusual activity. In addition, most casinos follow a set of routines for games such as roulette and craps that make it easier for security personnel to notice statistical deviations.

Because of the large amounts of cash handled within a casino, there is always the possibility of criminal activity by both patrons and employees. Casinos use a variety of methods to combat these activities, including video surveillance, and they are heavily staffed with security guards. Nonetheless, crime in casinos is not uncommon and organized crime figures have provided funding for several casinos. In some cases, mobster money has allowed owners to take sole or partial ownership of a casino and directly control its operation.