A casino is a place where people can play gambling games. It also houses a variety of other entertainment options, like restaurants and stage shows. Casinos often add to the gambling experience with luxuries such as expensive hotel rooms and free drinks. Because large amounts of money are handled within casinos, security is a major concern for many operators. There are a number of ways that casinos prevent fraud and theft, including security cameras and electronic systems that monitor betting chips and roulette wheels to discover any deviation from expected results.

Despite the high levels of security, some casinos are not immune to criminal activity. There is a risk that both patrons and employees may try to cheat or steal from the establishment, either in collusion or independently. Casinos must therefore spend a significant amount of time and money on security measures.

Casinos are found in many countries around the world, from Las Vegas to Atlantic City to the Indian reservations of the United States. In the United States, casinos first appeared in Nevada and then spread throughout the country during the 1980s, as American Indian gaming laws were changed to permit casino-style gambling on tribal lands.

The word casino comes from the Italian casino, meaning “little castle.” Casinos have been associated with organized crime since their inception. The mob controlled many early casinos, but real estate developers and hotel chains had more money than the mobsters, so they bought them out and ran them without mob interference. Casinos are sometimes perceived to be bad for a community, because they draw people away from other forms of entertainment and can lead to gambling addiction.