Casino is a gaming establishment that offers games of chance and, in some cases, skill. It also features table games and electronic gambling machines. In the United States, casinos are found in cities and towns as well as on Native American reservations. The largest casinos are located in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. In addition, there are casino-type game machines at some racetracks and racinos, as well as some bars and truck stops.

The precise origin of gambling is not known. People have enjoyed betting on events with some element of risk for millennia. Early casinos were public halls for music and dancing, but the modern casino developed in the second half of the nineteenth century. In Europe, the casino became a standardized place where licensed and supervised gambling could take place.

Because of the large amounts of currency handled within casinos, cheating and theft are concerns. To counter these dangers, the casino industry has implemented a variety of security measures. Most of these involve cameras and monitoring devices. In some modern casinos, the tables are wired so that the exact amount wagered on a particular spin of the roulette wheel or dice roll can be tracked minute by minute; the casino computer can quickly discover any statistical deviation from expected results and alert management.

In addition to the monitors, casinos use bright and sometimes gaudy floor and wall coverings that are designed to stimulate the senses of the patrons. Red is a popular color since it is thought to cause players to lose track of time. In order to prevent the appearance of skewed odds, casino managers and croupiers are trained to be aware of cheating, both collusion and independent, and to spot the telltale signs.