A casino, also known as a gambling hall or gaming house, is a facility for people to play games of chance and win money. The most famous of these gambling establishments is in Las Vegas, Nevada, where gambling is legal. Casinos are also common in some other states and countries, particularly in Europe and Latin America.

In some countries, casinos are regulated by government bodies. In other cases, they operate independently of government oversight. Casinos may be staffed by professional dealers or volunteers, and they may use a variety of methods to discourage cheating or theft. For example, some casinos employ special chips with built-in microcircuitry that interact with electronic systems in table games to oversee the exact amounts wagered minute by minute and warn dealers if any anomalies occur; others use automated roulette wheels that are electronically monitored for statistical deviations from expected results.

Because the amount of currency that passes through a casino is large, both patrons and staff may be tempted to steal or cheat in collusion with one another or independently. Many casinos have security measures to prevent this, with the most basic being a network of surveillance cameras that cover the entire facility. In addition, windows and clocks are rarely used in casinos; this prevents players from seeing how long they’ve been gambling and keeps them from realizing how much they’ve lost. Big bettors are often given extravagant inducements such as free spectacular entertainment, luxury hotel rooms, transportation and food while they gamble; lesser bettors are offered reduced-fare transportation, restaurant meals and gambling vouchers.