A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and other tourist attractions.

A wide variety of games are available at casinos, ranging from classic table games like blackjack and poker to more modern machines such as video slot machines and roulette wheels. Some casinos also offer live entertainment such as stand-up comedy, concerts and sports events.

Because large amounts of money are handled within a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with each other or independently. For this reason, most casinos have stringent security measures in place. Cameras and other surveillance systems are common, as are uniformed guards and armed security personnel. Many casinos have catwalks in the ceiling that allow security workers to look down through one-way glass on the tables and slot machines.

Other security measures include preventing patrons from taking chips out of the gaming tables and watching for suspicious betting patterns that might indicate collusion or other cheating. Some casinos have dedicated rooms filled with banks of security monitors that can be adjusted to focus on specific patrons. In some casinos, the computers that oversee the tables use special chips with built-in microcircuitry to track the amount of money wagered minute by minute and alert guards if any suspicious activity is occurring.

Some casinos reward loyal patrons with comps, or free goods and services. These could include hotel rooms, restaurant meals, show tickets or even airline flights. To qualify for comps, players must usually spend a minimum amount of time and money at the casino.