A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. It is often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships. In some countries, casinos are legalized and regulated by the government. Others are not. The term is also used for places that host live entertainment events, such as stand-up comedy shows or concerts. In military and non-military usage, the term casino may refer to an officers’ mess.
Gaming machines, table games, and random number games make up the major categories of casino games. Gaming machines are operated by computer programs that accept wagers and pay out winnings based on the results of a randomly generated sequence of numbers. Table games involve one or more players who compete against the house, and are conducted by casino employees known as croupiers. Random number games are based on the selection of random numbers, and the outcome of each round is determined by a combination of factors such as the player’s skill, luck, and the distribution of the tables.
The large amounts of money handled within casinos create the potential for cheating and theft by both patrons and staff, either in collusion or independently. Security measures are therefore a significant part of casino operations. For example, some American casinos have catwalks in the ceiling above the gambling floor that allow surveillance personnel to look down on the games from a high vantage point. Many casinos also have their own police departments.