A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. These facilities are often combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and even cruise ships. Some countries have legalized casinos, while others have prohibited them or regulated their operation. This article focuses on the history and culture of casino gambling.

Gambling in its many forms has been a part of human civilization for millennia. Evidence of gambling has been found as early as 2300 BC in China. Dice were in use by 500 AD, and card games appeared soon thereafter. Today, some casinos offer a variety of casino games, such as poker, blackjack, and roulette. Most of these games have mathematically determined odds that give the house a long-term advantage over the players, a concept known as the house edge. In games that require some level of skill, the house edge is lessened, or eliminated, by players using proper strategies. These players are known as advantage players.

Due to the large amounts of money handled by casinos, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal. Therefore, casinos have extensive security measures in place. The most common measures are cameras, which monitor all areas of the casino. The more advanced security measures include specialized personnel trained in gaming analysis, and catwalks that allow surveillance staff to look down on players directly from above. Casinos also have rules requiring that players keep their hands visible at all times.