A casino, also known as a gambling house or gaming establishment, is an establishment where people can gamble and bet on games of chance. Some casinos specialize in one or more types of gambling, such as baccarat, blackjack, roulette, craps, and video poker. Casinos may also offer complimentary items to gamblers, called comps, such as free hotel rooms and show tickets. Casinos can be found in cities throughout the world and are often combined with other attractions, such as hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, and cruise ships.

Although casino gambling is often associated with gangsters and organized crime, the industry has become relatively safe over the past few decades. Real estate developers and hotel chains have been able to purchase many of the mobsters’ casinos, and strict government regulations have made it possible to run a casino without mob interference. Casinos can be a major source of income for a city, but critics argue that they cause social problems and increase inequality by shifting money from other forms of entertainment and increasing the number of addicts.

Modern casinos are like indoor amusement parks for adults, with the majority of their profits coming from gambling. Slot machines, black jack, roulette, craps, and keno are the main games that bring in the billions of dollars in profits that casinos rake in every year. In addition, some casinos feature Far Eastern games such as sic bo, fan-tan, and pai gow. Many casino games have mathematically determined odds that give the house a permanent advantage over the players, which is called the house edge.