A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. It may have restaurants, theaters and other entertainment venues as well. But gambling is the primary activity.

Most casinos offer a wide variety of games. These include dice games like roulette, card games such as blackjack and baccarat, and a variety of other games that involve skill. Table games are usually conducted by dealers, while slot machines and video poker are self-contained devices that use random numbers to determine payouts.

Because of the large amounts of money that are often handled, a casino must have good security to protect its patrons and staff. Most casinos have cameras throughout the building and employ security personnel who monitor the premises around the clock. Some casinos also have a “spotter” system that can quickly detect suspicious behavior.

Many casinos provide free drinks and perks for their patrons. These are called comps. Casinos generally offer them based on the amount of time a player spends playing and the size of their bets. They can also give players free hotel rooms, shows or limo service for big spenders.

All of a casino’s games have a built in advantage for the house. This advantage can be very small, less than two percent, but it adds up over the millions of bets placed by casino patrons. Some casinos hire mathematicians and computer programmers to analyze their games and make sure the edge is sufficiently low.