A Casino is a gambling establishment that offers games of chance. It also offers a variety of entertainment options such as luxury hotels, restaurants and shops. Casinos are usually heavily guarded and have specialized security departments. Most casinos have a high-end clientele. Some are even famous and can be seen in movies and TV shows.

Gambling in some form has been part of human civilization for millennia. The precise origin is unknown, but there is evidence of dice gambling as early as 2300 BC in China. Roulette became popular in France in the 1600s and blackjack, baccarat and trente et quarante followed in the United States in the early 20th century. Modern casinos can be divided into three general categories: gaming machines, table games and random number games. Gaming machines are operated by mechanical devices and do not involve croupiers. Table games are based on the choice of a card or dice and are conducted by croupiers. Random number games are based on the selection of a series of numbers, or cards, by a computerized random number generator.

Casinos typically offer a variety of incentives to their patrons in order to increase the likelihood of winning. These rewards can range from free spectacular entertainment, luxurious living quarters and reduced-fare transportation to a hotel room. Most of these incentives are based on the amount of money that a casino can reliably expect to win, or the house edge. It is very rare for a casino to lose money on its games.