A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. In the United States, casinos are generally operated by private companies on land leased from the government. In some cases, the casinos are combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other entertainment facilities. The term casino may also refer to a gaming room in a horse racing facility.

Gambling has long been a popular pastime, with records of dice games in Mesopotamia and card games in ancient Rome and Greece. In the modern world, many governments regulate and audit gambling institutions to ensure they play by the rules. Las Vegas, Atlantic City and other gambling meccas have super high security levels to deter cheating and stealing by patrons and staff alike.

While elaborate themes, musical shows, shopping centers and lavish hotels help draw in customers, casinos would not exist without games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and other table games provide the billions in profits that casinos rake in every year. Many of these games are based on luck, but some have an element of skill such as poker. In addition, casinos often offer complimentary items to entice big spenders and to keep them coming back for more (these are called comps). Some of these freebies can include hotel rooms, food, show tickets or even airline tickets. Despite these attractions, gambling can have negative social effects, including increased crime and dependence. It is also believed to decrease property values in the surrounding area.