A Casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. These establishments often combine gambling with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and cruise ships, and are usually located near or combined with vacation resorts. In the United States, casinos are also known as gaming facilities or racetracks. Some state governments regulate and tax gambling; others do not. Casinos are most commonly operated by private businesses, but some are owned by governments. In addition to their gaming operations, many casinos offer other entertainment activities such as concerts and shows.

Casinos have a reputation for being glamorous and exclusive, and they do not welcome everyone. They are also heavily guarded, with many security cameras, and they employ a large number of employees. They also make use of sophisticated technology to monitor and oversee games; for example, in “chip tracking,” betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that interacts with electronic systems that can record the exact amounts wagered minute by minute, or roulette wheels are electronically monitored to reveal any statistical deviation from expected results.

In the twentieth century, some casinos began to focus their investments on high rollers who are willing to spend a lot of money; these gamblers may gamble in rooms separate from the main casino floor and can receive comps including free hotel rooms, meals and tickets to shows. But other research has shown that casinos have a negative economic impact on local communities, as they divert money from other forms of entertainment and cause people to spend more time gambling than they otherwise would.