A casino, or gaming house, is a place where people can gamble. Casinos often offer other entertainment, such as shows and fine dining. Some casinos have hotel accommodations as well. They may also have golf courses and other sports facilities. Some states have laws against gambling, while others regulate it and tax it.
The large amounts of money handled within casinos make them tempting targets for cheating and theft by both patrons and employees. Because of this, casinos employ numerous security measures to deter crime. These measures are a combination of physical security forces patrolling the premises and specialized surveillance departments. In addition, the games themselves are designed with security in mind; for example, players at card tables must keep their cards visible at all times, to prevent them from being concealed or hidden from other players.
Casinos make their money by charging a “vig” or a percentage of the total amount bet on certain games. This percentage can be as low as two percent, but over time it can add up to a substantial sum. In addition, some casinos earn revenue from slot machines and video poker.
Many casinos feature traditional Far Eastern games, mainly sic bo (which spread to Europe and America in the 1990s), fan-tan, and pai gow. In some countries, such as Australia and Canada, casinos also have games of skill, such as two-up. Some of these games, such as roulette and craps, are designed with security in mind: betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that allows them to be electronically monitored minute by minute so that any statistical deviation can be quickly detected.