A casino is a building or room in which games of chance are played. The modern casino is like an indoor amusement park for adults, with the vast majority of the entertainment (and profits) coming from gambling. While musical shows, lighted fountains and lavish hotels help draw in the crowds, it is games of chance that keep people coming back. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and keno are just some of the games that bring in the billions of dollars that casinos rake in each year.

Aside from the obvious games of chance, a casino is also home to a variety of other forms of entertainment. From the famed Monte-Carlo, designed by a princess and funded by a future pope, to the more modest pai gow parlors of the Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen, casinos are an integral part of the leisure industry in most societies.

Casinos make money by taking a small percentage of each bet. The exact amount varies by game, but is usually less than two percent. Casinos also make money by attracting customers with a wide array of perks, including free drinks and rooms, discounted food and show tickets.

In addition to cameras that monitor everything from the casino floor to individual gamblers, casinos employ an array of electronic devices that help ensure fairness. For example, casino chips have built-in microcircuitry that interacts with electronic systems on the tables to oversee the exact amounts wagered minute by minute and warn about any discrepancies; and roulette wheels are electronically monitored regularly to discover any statistical deviations from expected results.