A casino is a gambling establishment where people can gamble and play games of chance. Customers may bet cash or casino chips on a variety of random events, and the house typically takes a percentage of winnings as profit. Some casinos also offer skill-based games, such as blackjack and video poker.

Some casinos are located in tourist destinations, such as Las Vegas and Monte Carlo, and serve as entertainment centers for visitors. Others are opulent standalone buildings designed to impress, such as the Grand Lisboa in Macau, which features an LED dome composed of over a million lights. Still, other high-end casinos focus on offering a complete luxury experience, with dining, spas, and other amenities in addition to gambling.

While some casino patrons may be tempted to cheat or steal, in collusion or independently, many casinos have security measures in place to prevent this. These include cameras, and the use of specialized staff to enforce rules. In some cases, security personnel are armed.

Casinos are businesses, and they must make a profit in order to survive. As such, they have built-in advantages that ensure that they will win the majority of all wagers placed. This advantage is mathematically determined and known as the house edge. In games that require some degree of skill, players who learn the optimal strategies can reduce this edge to a negligible level. These players are known as advantage players. In games such as baccarat and roulette, the house advantage is much higher.