A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. These facilities also often feature restaurants, hotel rooms, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are owned and operated by governments, while others are private businesses or corporations. In either case, all casinos require patrons to gamble within established limits and pay a commission to the house in exchange for the right to use its premises.
Games available in casinos include gaming machines, table games, and random number games. Gaming machines (including slot machines and video poker) generally require no skill or input from players, while table games such as blackjack, roulette, and craps involve competition against the casino rather than other players. The latter games are typically conducted by live croupiers or dealers.
In games that involve skill, a casino’s advantage is mathematically determined and is known as the house edge. This disadvantage is compensated for in American casinos by the rake, a percentage of all bets placed that are not lost, taken by the house. While this income is less than the profit from the house edge, it is sufficient to allow a casino to break even over a long period of time. As a result, the industry is regulated in many countries. In addition to security measures such as cameras and guards, casinos employ a variety of methods to prevent cheating and theft by both patrons and employees. These may include requiring all patrons to wear identification at all times and requiring that cards be visible at all times during play.