A casino, also known as a gambling house, is a place where people gamble. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other entertainment facilities. They may also be built near or combined with other tourist attractions, such as theme parks and ski resorts. The term casino is also used to refer to a game of chance, a card game in which players wager cash or other items of value on the outcome of a random drawing. Other types of casino games include poker, roulette, blackjack, and bingo.
A number of states have legalized casinos and other forms of gambling, though many still prohibit it. Some states allow the operation of casino-style games on American Indian reservations, where they are not subject to state antigambling laws. Others allow casinos to be located in cities and towns, while others have restrictions on the type of casino that can be built, or ban it entirely.
Some casinos are designed to be a destination in their own right, such as Aria in Las Vegas. This modern casino resort offers a range of table games, including mini-baccarat and European roulette, as well as hundreds of slots. Its sleek, elegant interior is complemented by Michelin-starred chefs and the stunning Fine Art Collection. Its high-tech surveillance system uses cameras that can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons and monitor the behavior of casino workers. The cameras are wired to a control room, where security workers can monitor the results of each spin. These data are compiled by computer programs called gaming mathematicians or gaming analysts to give the casino managers an idea of how much money is being lost and won.