A casino, also known as a gambling house or a gaming establishment, is an establishment for certain types of gambling. It may be integrated with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, or cruise ships. In some cases, casinos are dedicated to specific games like craps, baccarat, and blackjack. They may also be dedicated to other forms of entertainment such as shows and live music. Casinos also offer a wide variety of slot machines, video poker machines, and keno.

In addition to security personnel, casino staff have a number of tools to keep gamblers from losing too much money. For example, some casinos have catwalks that run across the ceiling and allow surveillance officers to look down on the tables and slots through one-way glass. In other cases, employees have the ability to tally players’ winnings and losses in real time from their stations.

While casinos earn some of their income from food, drinks, and entertainment, the majority of their profits come from gambling. To maximize their earnings, casinos design their games with mathematical odds in their favor. These odds – known as the house edge – vary from game to game.

Some casinos try to persuade people to spend more by offering perks such as free meals, drinks, and show tickets. These are known as comps. In addition, most casinos have loyalty programs that resemble airline frequent-flyer schemes. These allow players to accumulate points that can be exchanged for cash or free slot play.