A casino (also known as a gaming house or a gambling establishment) is a place for people to gamble and play games of chance. These include blackjack, roulette, craps, poker, baccarat, and many other games. A successful casino earns billions of dollars each year for its owners, investors, and state and local governments that tax it. Casinos may also offer a variety of other attractions such as restaurants, shows, and retail shops. They may be located in massive resorts or in small card rooms, and they can be found in countries around the world.

Casinos are social places where patrons interact with each other and the atmosphere is built around noise, light, and excitement. Alcoholic drinks are served to players at tables and on the floor, and waiters circulate throughout the casino to take orders for food. Casinos typically employ gaming mathematicians to calculate the house edge and variance for each game.

Despite the large amount of money involved in a casino, only about one quarter of the American population over 21 visits a casino each year. This is primarily because of the prohibitive travel costs associated with Las Vegas and other popular casinos. For this reason, casino operators focus on customer service and provide a range of perks designed to attract gamblers and keep them returning. These perks include free drinks and meals, discounted hotel stays, cheap buffets, and even free show tickets.