A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. Many casinos also offer dining, luxury accommodations, stage shows and other entertainment. There are over 1,000 casinos in the United States and hundreds more around the world. Some of the most famous are in Las Vegas (the Bellagio, for example), Monaco and Macau.

The term casino is derived from the Italian word for “little house”. In its modern sense, a casino is a place where gambling activities take place. Its security measures include a variety of cameras and trained personnel to prevent cheating, including palming, marking and other tricks that can give the house an edge. In addition, dealers are highly trained to spot suspicious betting patterns and other signs of cheating. Some casinos have catwalks that allow surveillance personnel to look directly down on the tables and slot machines from above, through one-way glass.

In the United States, state legislatures have enacted laws to regulate casino gambling. The first legal casinos opened in 1978 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and in the 1980s casinos began appearing on American Indian reservations, which are exempt from some state antigambling laws. Today, there are over 3,000 casino resorts worldwide. Some of them are huge, with gourmet restaurants and other amenities, while others are strictly for gambling and have few other attractions. The United States is by far the largest casino market, but other countries are rapidly expanding their numbers as well.