A casino is a gambling establishment that offers a variety of games of chance. It may also offer other types of entertainment such as live music and shows. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships and other tourist attractions. In some countries, casinos are operated by government-licensed or private corporations. In other countries, they are run by private individuals.

In casino gambling, the house always has a mathematical advantage over individual players. However, some casino games have a skill element and those who possess sufficient skills to eliminate the inherent long-term disadvantage of the game are known as advantage players. In most games, the house makes money by taking a percentage of the total amount of money wagered.

The Bellagio in Las Vegas is arguably the world’s most famous casino, but there are many others. Casino Baden-Baden in southwestern Germany, for example, opened more than 150 years ago and has been described by actress Marlene Dietrich as “the most beautiful casino in the world.”

Modern casinos have increasingly employed technological measures to prevent cheating and other forms of dishonesty. For example, chips with built-in microcircuitry interact with electronic systems to enable casinos to monitor the exact amounts wagered minute by minute and quickly discover any statistical deviation from expected results. Similarly, roulette wheels and dice are routinely monitored electronically to discover any discrepancies. Some casinos even have catwalks that allow surveillance personnel to look down at the tables and slot machines through one-way glass.