A casino is a gambling establishment that offers various types of games. These include card games, table games and slot machines. Some casinos also offer food and drink. Others feature entertainment such as live shows or musical performances. Many states have laws regulating the operation of casinos. Some states allow casino-style gaming only in certain locations, such as on Indian reservations. Some casinos are very large and have hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and other amenities. Others are smaller and strictly focused on gambling.
The word casino comes from the Latin for little house, and may refer to a small clubhouse or private gaming room. In nineteenth century Europe, the idea of a private gaming house spread, and casinos began to open in major cities such as Monte Carlo.
Casinos earn their money by taking advantage of the built-in statistical advantages that each game has for the casino. These edge amounts can be very low (less than two percent), but they add up over millions of bets. This profit margin is known as the house edge.
Casinos are heavily guarded. Security cameras are mounted in the ceiling and on the walls, and employees watch patrons to see if anyone is cheating. Dealers are highly trained to spot blatant techniques such as palming, marking or switching cards or dice. Each table has a manager or pit boss that watches over the table and identifies patterns in betting behavior. The managers and pit bosses also communicate with each other about their players, and they keep track of the amount of money won or lost at the tables. Casinos reward loyal patrons with comps, or free goods and services, such as hotel rooms, meals, tickets to shows and limo service.