A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. The modern casino is like an indoor amusement park for adults, with the vast majority of the entertainment (and profits for the owner) coming from gambling. Slot machines, black jack, roulette, craps and keno provide the billions of dollars in profits that casinos rake in every year. Other activities include a variety of music shows, lighted fountains and luxurious accommodations.

The large amounts of money handled in casinos make them attractive targets for theft by both patrons and staff. Security measures vary, but most casinos have cameras in place throughout the gaming areas to monitor activity. In addition, most table games are manned by employees known as croupiers. These employees are trained to spot patterns of behavior that might indicate cheating or stealing.

The word casino is derived from the Latin word casus, meaning “house of games.” The first casinos were housed in elaborate, high-class structures on the Las Vegas Strip, where visitors could enjoy luxurious accommodations, fine dining and a wide range of table and slot games. In the 1980s, the trend expanded to riverboats and Native American reservations. The growth of the internet and advances in computer technology has led to casinos that offer more than just gambling.