A casino is a facility where people can gamble by playing games of chance or skill. Casinos may also offer entertainment shows or other attractions. Many countries have legalized gambling, and the industry is regulated by government agencies. Most casinos are located in cities or resorts, but there are also floating casinos on boats and barges and some are in rural areas.

A person can place a bet in a casino by exchanging money for chips, which can then be used to play games. Casinos usually require players to be of legal age and to comply with rules and regulations. Those who win money are required to report the winnings to the relevant tax agency. Some casinos are run by private companies, while others are owned and operated by state governments or local jurisdictions.

Casinos make money by charging patrons for entrance, drinks, food, and services such as hotel rooms and transportation. They also make money from the house edge of each game, which is determined mathematically and is uniformly negative (from the player’s perspective). Casinos often use technology to monitor games and detect cheating. This includes “chip tracking,” where betting chips have built-in microcircuitry to allow the casino to monitor the exact amount of money wagered minute by minute; electronic monitoring of roulette wheels to quickly discover any statistical deviation from expected results; and video surveillance.

In spite of these measures, a small percentage of patrons cheat and steal. Casinos employ security personnel to prevent these activities, and their employees are trained to spot telltale signs of deception or collusion.