A casino is a facility where people can gamble for cash or other items of value. Games offered include dice, card, and wheel games such as roulette and blackjack. Many casinos also feature entertainment such as live performances and shows. Some famous casinos are in exotic locales such as Venice, Monaco, and Singapore. The Bellagio is probably the most famous of all casinos, but there are others with their own unique charms.
Most casino gambling games involve some element of chance, though a few require skill or strategic thinking. Generally, the house has an advantage over players, which can be calculated mathematically and is often represented as an expected value or a percentage of the total amount wagered. The advantage can be a small or large margin. Casinos make their money by charging a commission to patrons in the case of table games or by taking a fixed amount of each pot in the case of poker.
The casino industry is regulated by state and local governments. Many states have laws prohibiting or restricting casino gambling, but some allow it on Native American reservations and on riverboats. Some cities have a single large casino, such as Las Vegas or Atlantic City, while others have multiple smaller casinos spread throughout the metropolitan area. Due to the large amounts of money handled in a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. To prevent this, most casinos have security measures including cameras and other technology.