A casino, or gambling house, is a building or large room in which people can gamble on games of chance. It may also be a place where people can eat, drink, and socialize. Most casinos have security measures in place to prevent cheating and stealing. Casinos are a major source of revenue for the governments, corporations, investors, and Native American tribes that operate them. They also generate significant employment. The industry is overseen by federal and state regulators.
The United States has legalized casino gambling in several jurisdictions, including Atlantic City, New Jersey; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Puerto Rico. Most casinos are located in towns with populations of 25,000 or less, although larger cities such as Denver and Los Angeles have casinos. Casinos are typically built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and entertainment venues. Some are also designed as tourist attractions, such as the Mirage in Las Vegas.
The economic primary focus of a casino is the gaming floor, which features table games and slot machines. Casinos in Europe tend to focus on roulette, which attracts small bettors and requires a low house advantage of only 1 percent or less; while American casinos rely more on craps, which offers the possibility of a big win and requires a higher house edge of 1.4 percent or more. Because the mathematics of casino games are inherently biased against the player, some skill is required for success. In order to maximize profit, a casino employs mathematicians and computer programmers specializing in casino game analysis to determine the best strategy for each machine.