A casino, or gambling hall, is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos usually offer a mix of table games (such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat), electronic slot machines, and more traditional card games like poker. Many casinos also have restaurants and bars. Some are located in luxury resorts, while others stand alone. Most states have laws regulating casinos and setting minimum bet amounts, or prohibiting them altogether.

Casinos make billions in annual revenues for companies, investors, and Native American tribes that operate them. They are often designed around noise, light, and excitement, and they encourage gambling by offering alcoholic drinks, free snacks, and other inducements. Casinos are monitored by security cameras and employees who patrol the floor. Some even have catwalks that allow surveillance personnel to look directly down, through one-way glass, at the activity on the tables and machines.

According to a survey conducted by Gemini Research, among respondents who admitted to gambling at least once in their lives, the most popular casino game is slot machines. Card games were a close second, followed by keno and bingo. Table games and gambling on sports/racing events were less popular.

Gambling, in one form or another, has been a part of human society for millennia. Archeologists have found wooden blocks used for gaming in China dating back to 2300 BC, and dice made their appearance in Rome around 500 AD. In the 1600s, a game still played today–baccarat–first rose to prominence.