A casino is a gambling establishment that offers customers a wide variety of games of chance and in some cases skill. Typical casino games include roulette, blackjack, poker and craps. Some casinos also offer a sports book and non-gambling entertainment such as shows. Casinos are generally located in resorts, hotels and commercial buildings.

Most states regulate casino gambling and require licenses for operators. Various federal taxes are applied to winnings from gambling activities. Some states do not tax gambling profits at all, while others apply federal income tax to winnings above a certain amount. In either case, gamblers should keep track of their winnings and losses to avoid over-taxation.

The precise origins of casino gambling are unclear, but it is clear that it has spread throughout the world and that there have been many different types of gaming. The first modern casinos developed in Europe in the late 19th century. These were often based on former church or military buildings, which were cheap to construct and had plenty of space.

Something about gambling seems to encourage people to cheat and steal, perhaps because of the size of the money at stake. As a result, casinos spend a lot of time and money on security. Employees watch over each game, and can spot blatant cheating such as palming cards or marking dice. Cameras are everywhere, and some casinos even use technology to monitor individual betting chips for signs of anomalies.