A casino is a gambling establishment where people can place wagers on various casino games, such as blackjack and roulette. Some casinos also offer poker and other table games. Typically, the house has a predictable long-term advantage over players, but some casinos allow skillful players to overcome this edge and make short-term gains. Some casinos are owned and operated by governments, while others are privately owned. Some are located in cities that are well known for gambling, such as Las Vegas and Monte Carlo. Others are located in places that are not well known for gambling, but which have developed other attractions that draw visitors, such as resorts.
Casinos are typically large buildings that house numerous gaming tables and machines. They may also include restaurants and bars. Many of the largest casinos are designed to impress, with elaborate themes and state-of-the-art technology. Some of the more popular casino games include video slots, baccarat, and craps. Most of these games require the intervention of casino employees, called croupiers or dealers. Some casinos use a random number generator to generate random numbers for each game, while others use physical dice or balls, or automated mechanical devices to select the winning numbers.
Most casinos are protected by a variety of security measures. The presence of cameras, trained casino security personnel, and other precautions prevent cheating or theft. In some cases, casinos have been successful in prosecuting individuals for breach of security rules. Due to the large amounts of money handled within a casino, staff and patrons may be tempted to attempt to defraud each other or the establishment. This can take the form of collusion between employees, or independent attempts to manipulate games or other casino operations.
The word casino is derived from the Latin casinum, meaning “little house.” The oldest and most famous casino in the world, Casino di Venezia, is located in Venice, Italy. It was built in the 17th century and originally served as a theater, with gambling taking place during intermissions. The Mauro Codussi-designed structure later became a palace and the home of several noble families. It has been a casino since 1959.
Many countries have legalized casino gambling. In the United States, casinos are primarily found in Atlantic City and on American Indian reservations, which are not subject to state antigambling laws. In the 1980s, many American states amended their gambling laws to permit casinos on land and in riverboats. In Europe, most of the major cities have casinos. Paris, Monte Carlo, and Cannes are notable examples.
Casinos often attract the rich and famous, which makes them a major source of publicity. Some of the more notorious ones have become tourist attractions in their own right, such as the MGM Grand on the Las Vegas Strip. It was featured in the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven. The Venetian in Las Vegas is another well-known casino. Its opulent design and oversized rooms have made it one of the most popular casinos in the world.