A casino or gaming house is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. In the United States, most states have legalized casinos. Some are operated by government agencies, while others are private businesses. In addition to the usual gambling games, many casinos offer other entertainment such as stage shows and concerts.

Casinos are generally considered to be social places because they encourage public interaction and a boisterous atmosphere. Most have a large variety of table games, slot machines and other electronic gaming devices. In addition to these, some casinos also have sports books and horse racing tracks.

Most casinos have security measures in place to prevent cheating and stealing by patrons and staff. These may include security cameras, specially trained personnel, and a system of patron tracking using a card that is swiped at each game.

Some casinos have catwalks in the ceiling above the casino floor, allowing surveillance personnel to look directly down, through one way glass, on the activities at tables and slot machines. Other security measures may include metal detectors and door jammers. Modern casinos have a division between physical and specialized surveillance departments, with the latter responsible for operating the casino’s closed circuit television system, which is known as the eye in the sky. These departments work closely together and have been quite successful in preventing crime.