A casino or gaming hall is a place where people can gamble by playing games of chance, in some cases with an element of skill. The most common games are blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps and video poker. The house always has a mathematical advantage over the players, and this advantage is known as the house edge. In some games, the house takes a percentage of each bet made by players, often called the rake. Some casinos also offer complimentary items to gamblers, known as comps.

There are over 3,000 legal casinos in operation worldwide. Many states have passed laws to allow them, and some have even legalized them on Native American reservations. Some casinos are huge complexes, with a hotel, multiple restaurants, and entertainment venues. Others are more intimate, with a single gambling table and limited gaming options.

Casinos are often the setting for stories of high-stakes gambling and are featured in movies and novels. They can be dangerous places, and many casinos have security measures in place to protect their patrons. Some of these include security cameras, which are often located throughout the facility, and catwalks that allow surveillance personnel to look down directly on tables and slot machines from above.

Casinos are often accompanied by entertainment venues, which can range from top-billed musical acts to acrobatic shows. For example, the Caesars Palace Circus Maximus theater was home to Frank Sinatra’s famous Vegas residencies, and is currently the venue for his tribute show, “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo”. Other casinos have hosted performers such as Elton John, Cher, Celine Dion, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Bette Midler, and Mariah Carey.