A casino is a gambling establishment that offers a variety of games of chance, some with an element of skill. The most popular game is poker, but casinos also feature blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and craps. Many have elaborate themes and lavish hotels to lure in guests. Musical shows and lighted fountains provide entertainment, but the billions of dollars in profits casinos rake in each year come from gambling.

A small number of casinos offer off-track horse betting and a few have a sportsbook, but most of them specialize in the classics. Winstar World Casino in Oklahoma, for example, has a gaming floor that’s 270,000 square feet in size and features everything from classic table games to the latest slots. Similarly, Caesars Palace in New Jersey boasts over 150,000 square feet of gaming space.

In addition to the usual casino games, some offer local variations on the traditional Far Eastern games such as sic bo (which spread to several European and American casinos in the 1990s) and fan-tan. Some casinos even offer a few traditional card games such as baccarat, chemin de fer, and trente et quarante.

When casinos first appeared, organized crime gangsters provided the funds to open them. They often took full or partial ownership of the casinos, and controlled their operations by using thugs and goons to intimidate gamblers and other casino personnel. However, real estate investors and hotel chains with deep pockets realized the potential of these businesses, and mob involvement faded.