A casino is a public place where a variety of games of chance are played and where gambling is the primary activity. Traditionally, casinos have offered a wide array of luxury amenities to lure patrons and keep them playing, such as restaurants, free drinks, stage shows and dramatic scenery. But even less lavish places that house gambling activities can be considered casinos, so long as they focus on providing excitement and gambling opportunities.
Regardless of the game, every bet made by a casino patron has a built in statistical advantage for the casino (the house edge). That edge may be quite small, but it is what makes casinos profitable. For this reason, casinos accept all bets within an established limit, and they offer high-stakes players extravagant inducements to gamble there (often called comps) such as free rooms, meals, tickets to shows and limousine service.
Most casinos have tables that enable a number of different table games to be played. These are usually designed specifically for the game and are staffed by a croupier who enables the game, enables payments and manages the odds of each bet. In addition to blackjack and roulette, many casinos also offer Asian-themed games such as sic bo, fan-tan and pai gow, or classic games like two-up in Australia, banca francesa in Portugal, boule in France, and kalooki in Britain.
Something about gambling seems to encourage some people to cheat, steal or scam their way into a jackpot rather than try to win it through random luck. This is why casinos spend a lot of time and effort on security. In fact, the largest casino in the world, the Monte Carlo, has a staff of more than 1,000 security personnel.