A casino, also called a gambling house or a gaming establishment, is a building where people can gamble on various games of chance. Modern casinos have a wide variety of gambling activities and facilities, including table games like blackjack and roulette, slot machines and video poker. Some have restaurants, hotel accommodations and entertainment venues. Some states have laws regulating the operation of casinos while others have no legal framework governing them.
A small number of casinos are operated by government-owned or tribal enterprises. In the United States, Indian reservations operate casinos that are not subject to state anti-gambling laws. Some casinos are located in upscale resorts and hotels, while others are freestanding structures.
The casinos make money by charging patrons for the right to gamble and by taking a cut of the profits from those who win. The exact amount of the profit is determined by mathematical analysis of the odds for each game, a process known as casino analysis or gaming mathematics. Casinos employ mathematicians who use computers to determine the house edge and variance for each game.
In addition to casino games, some casinos have dance floors and stage shows. Other attractions include a selection of bars and restaurants, souvenir shops and a gift shop. The majority of casino revenue comes from the gambling operations. Some economists believe that casinos have a negative economic impact on their host communities, because they divert spending away from other forms of local entertainment and cause problems for gamblers who become addicted to the activity.