A casino is a gambling establishment where people can gamble money in games of chance, or in some cases skill. Casinos are most often located in populated areas, such as Las Vegas, Nevada, or Atlantic City, New Jersey, but can also be found on Indian reservations and other places where gambling is legal. People may gamble with real money or virtual chips. Many casinos offer free or discounted food and drink, limo services, and hotel rooms to high-spenders.
A major difference between a regular game of chance and one conducted by a casino is that the casino always has an advantage, known as a house edge. This advantage is based on the mathematics of the particular game, and can be calculated by studying the odds and calculating an expected value or expected return on each wager. In games with a significant element of skill, such as blackjack and poker, the casino can gain an additional profit from players via a commission known as the rake.
Due to the large amounts of cash handled within a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with each other or independently; thus, most casinos have extensive security measures. These usually include a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department, which operates closed-circuit television systems throughout the facility. Additionally, the patterns of behavior that occur in a casino follow certain routines; thus, it is relatively easy for security personnel to spot something out of the ordinary.
