A casino is a gambling establishment that offers various forms of gambling, such as slot machines and table games like poker and blackjack. Many casinos also offer entertainment shows. In order to play at a casino, you must be of legal age and have money to gamble with. The money can be exchanged for chips that you can use to place bets. Some casinos are built in fancy resorts and offer top-billed entertainment acts to attract high rollers.

Casinos are found in many countries around the world, and some are very large. They can be a major tourist attraction and a great source of revenue for the city or country in which they are located. Casinos are regulated by law, and their operations are overseen by gaming control boards or similar bodies. In some jurisdictions, casinos are operated by government-licensed or privately owned corporations. The United States is the largest casino market in the world, with dozens of large casino resorts and many smaller casinos scattered across the country.

Some casinos have special features to enhance security. For example, some have catwalks that run above the casino floor, allowing surveillance personnel to look directly down, through one-way glass, on the activities at the tables and slots. Casinos also employ a variety of technological security measures, including video cameras and computer systems that monitor game results.

Casinos earn money from the players by charging a commission on some games, called the rake, or by accepting bets against the house (such as in baccarat and roulette). Casinos also make substantial profits from their machine games, which usually require low initial investments and can accept wagers of just a few cents per spin.