A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Some casinos are combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and/or other entertainment facilities. They are also found on cruise ships and in some military bases. The term may also refer to an establishment providing a number of services for gambling, such as a poker room or a sports book. The word is also used in some non-English-speaking countries as a synonym for a betting house or a gambling hall.
Most casino games have a built-in house edge, giving the casino an expected profit on each bet made by a patron. Because of this, it is impossible for a casino to go broke; if it does lose money, it does so over a long period of time. This is why most casinos offer extravagant inducements to big bettors, such as free spectacular entertainment, luxury transportation and elegant living quarters.
The most common table games in casinos are card games like blackjack and poker, dice games such as craps and roulette, and wheel games such as baccarat. These games allow players to test their strategy and skills against other players or the dealer.
Casinos employ many security measures to protect their patrons and property. These include cameras, security personnel, and special rules of conduct for players. Moreover, some casinos use sophisticated technology to monitor the games themselves. For example, in “chip tracking” systems, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry to enable them to be monitored minute-by-minute; and roulette wheels are electronically monitored regularly to discover any statistical deviation from their expected outcomes.