A casino (also known as a gambling house or a gaming room) is an establishment offering various forms of gambling. Most casinos are primarily concerned with the presentation of gambling activities and provide a wide range of games of chance, with some specializing in particular types of games such as baccarat, blackjack and poker. In addition to these traditional casino games, some also offer sports betting and other forms of gambling on a smaller scale.

Gambling has been a part of human culture for millennia, with the first recorded instances of dice rolling and card playing occurring in around 2300 BC. More recently, the development of casinos has led to a dramatic increase in gambling activity. Historically, most casinos have been located in cities with high populations, such as Las Vegas and Monte Carlo. However, since the 1980s, a number of new casinos have been opened in suburban areas of large American cities and on Native American reservations, which are not subject to state antigambling laws.

While there are many casino games that require a certain amount of skill, most are designed to give the house an advantage over the players. This advantage is called the “house edge” or “vigorish”. Casinos often minimize this edge by reducing the minimum bets and maximum bets, offering multiple versions of games with different rules, and employing trained dealers who are able to spot cheating. In addition, some modern casinos use specialized security forces and closed-circuit television to monitor patrons.