A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. In the United States, casinos are generally regulated by state law. Casinos are also sometimes operated by federally recognized tribes.
The games offered by casinos vary, but most include a combination of luck and skill. The house always has an advantage over the players, which is known as the house edge. This advantage is usually expressed as a percentage and is the result of the mathematically determined odds on each individual game. Casinos may use various methods to determine these odds, including specialized computer programs designed by gaming mathematicians and analysts.
In addition to slot machines and Keno, most American casinos offer table games like blackjack, craps, baccarat, and poker. The tables are usually conducted by croupiers. Depending on the jurisdiction, some casinos may offer additional games of chance such as two-up or boule. Many casinos feature Asian-style games such as sic bo (which spread to several European and American casinos during the 1990s), fan-tan, and pai gow.
Most modern casinos use cameras and other security measures to protect guests. The security department is usually divided into a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department. The physical security force patrols the casino and responds to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity, while the specialized surveillance department uses closed circuit television to monitor the casino.