A casino (plural: casinos) is a public room or building where people can play gambling games such as roulette, baccarat, blackjack, poker and slot machines. Some casinos also offer a variety of other entertainment activities such as shows and concerts.
Casinos are generally controlled and operated by government or private entities. They are regulated by law to ensure fair play, maintain minimum capital requirements, and protect the interests of gamblers. In addition to gaming machines, they may offer table games such as blackjack and craps, and random number games such as bingo or poker. In most cases, these games involve players competing against the house rather than each other, and are conducted by casino employees known as croupiers or dealers.
The majority of casino games involve a degree of chance, but some have a skill element and allow the players to reduce the house advantage by making informed decisions. Players who possess sufficient skills to eliminate the inherent long-term house edge of a game are often called advantage players. Some casinos also offer tournaments in which players compete against each other. Because large sums of money are handled within casinos, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. To mitigate these risks, most casinos have one or more security measures in place. These measures may include cameras, secure entrances, and rules requiring all players to keep their hands visible at all times during table games.