A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are most often associated with resorts, hotels, restaurants, cruise ships or other tourist attractions, and are designed to appeal to those interested in gambling. Casinos are also often combined with other entertainment facilities, such as bars, nightclubs and other venues for live music and performance. In addition to games of chance, many casinos offer sports betting and other forms of electronic gaming.
There are over 1,000 casinos in the United States, with Las Vegas having the largest concentration of them. The number continues to grow, as more states legalize them. The casinos are largely owned by Native American tribes or operated by commercial enterprises. They may be located on or near reservations, or they may be standalone buildings. The large amounts of money handled within casinos make them susceptible to cheating and stealing by both patrons and employees, in collusion or independently. To mitigate these risks, casinos have numerous security measures in place, such as cameras.
While the precise origin of gambling is unclear, it is widely believed that casino gambling began in Mesopotamia and spread throughout the world. Modern casinos are generally built in areas that were formerly undeveloped or rural and feature a variety of games, such as video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and slot machines. Some casinos also offer table games, such as poker and baccarat, and employ dealers to conduct the game. Casinos are usually heavily regulated and overseen by government agencies.