A casino is a place where people play games of chance for money. It may be large, like the Bellagio in Las Vegas, or small, such as a card room in someone’s home. It may have slot machines, tables or other gambling devices. Some casinos are operated by a specific group, such as the Mafia, while others are owned by hotel companies or real estate investors. Some are located in major cities, such as Las Vegas, while others are on cruise ships or on barges on waterways.

A typical casino has a distinctive feel that is designed to make gamblers comfortable. Bright colors are used, often with gaudy patterns. The color red is particularly popular because it stimulates the players and helps them to lose track of time. Many casinos do not display clocks. In the past, mobsters controlled many casinos, but as businessmen with more deep pockets moved into real estate and hotel chains developed casinos, mob influence waned.

All casino games have built-in advantages for the house, which means that the odds are that a player will lose money in the long run. To offset this disadvantage, casinos offer perks to lure in gamblers. These perks include reduced-fare transportation, free shows and hotel rooms, cheap buffets and drinks while gambling and cigarette allowances. Casinos also employ a variety of technological surveillance systems to monitor the games. For example, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that interacts with electronic systems to oversee the exact amount wagered minute by minute, and to alert staff of any anomalies.