A casino is a facility where people can gamble on games of chance or skill. The games played at casinos are regulated and monitored by the gambling authority. Typical casino games include blackjack, craps, roulette and video poker. Table games often require the intervention of a live dealer or croupier, and they differ from machine-based games, such as slot machines. Casinos also host poker games that pit players against each other, in which the house takes a small percentage of winning bets, known as the rake.

Unlike other forms of gambling, which are legal only in certain jurisdictions, casinos are common worldwide. They range from massive Las Vegas resorts to tiny card rooms in rural towns. In the United States, they can be found on Native American reservations and in cities like Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Iowa.

In the twenty-first century, casinos have become choosier about who they let in. They focus on high rollers, who gamble large amounts of money and are rewarded with free hotel stays, meals and tickets to shows. Some casinos even offer limo service and airline tickets to these guests.

Casinos attract billions of dollars each year for the companies, investors, and native tribes that run them. They also bring in revenue for local governments, which impose taxes on their profits. They are a major source of employment in many countries and a major contributor to tourism.