A casino (or gaming house) is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Most casinos offer a variety of games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, and video slot machines. Some casinos specialize in specific games, such as baccarat and sic bo. Some are owned and operated by local governments, while others are private enterprises. In some cases, casinos are combined with hotels or other tourist attractions. In the United States, casinos are regulated by state law. Most states prohibit public ownership of gambling facilities.
The most famous casinos are in Las Vegas, Nevada. Other major casinos are located in Atlantic City, New Jersey; Detroit, Michigan; and Reno, Nevada. Many American Indian tribes operate casinos on their reservations, which are exempt from some state laws. Casinos also operate in other countries, particularly Latin America and the Philippines.
In addition to gambling, casinos are often known for their entertainment offerings such as live shows, restaurants, bars and clubs. Many feature souvenir shops and other retail businesses. In the United States, casinos are also known for offering complimentary items to gamblers. This practice is called comping.
Because of the large amounts of money handled within a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. For this reason, casinos spend a great deal of time and money on security measures. These include a high-tech eye-in-the-sky system that watches every table, window and doorway of the building at once, as well as individual cameras that can be focused on suspicious patrons.