A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. These facilities can be built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other entertainment centers. In some jurisdictions, casinos are licensed or regulated by government agencies. The most famous casino is probably the Bellagio in Las Vegas, which became internationally renowned after being featured in the film Ocean’s 11.

Table games are games that are played on a flat surface with boards, cards, dice, or tokens as players try their luck against one another. These games often require strategic thinking and decision making skills, as well as a degree of luck. Popular table games include poker, blackjack, craps, and roulette. Many of these games have mathematically determined odds that give the house an advantage over the player, known as the house edge. Casinos often earn money by charging a commission, known as the rake, to gamblers.

Modern casinos make extensive use of technology to monitor the games and protect their assets. For example, slot machines are wired to record the exact amounts of coins deposited minute by minute and detect any abnormality; roulette wheels are monitored electronically to discover statistical deviations from their expected outcomes. Casinos also employ a variety of other technological measures to prevent cheating and other forms of fraud. These efforts have been successful in reducing the incidence of these crimes, which are sometimes motivated by greed and a desire for easy riches. In a survey conducted in March 2002, Gemini Research found that the favorite game of casino gamblers was slots. About 50% of respondents chose them over all other games. Card games, including blackjack and poker, were preferred by 30% of the respondents, while sports/racing and bingo bets were each preferred by about 6% of the gamblers.