A casino is a gambling establishment offering various games of chance. Customers gamble by playing slot machines, table games like blackjack, roulette and baccarat, or by placing wagers on sporting events or horse races. Some casinos also have card rooms and operate keno. The etymology of the word is thought to come from the Latin cazino, meaning small summerhouse.
A number of games in casinos involve some degree of skill, and the house edge — mathematically determined odds that give the casino a long-term advantage over the players — can be eliminated by players using basic strategy. Those who do this are referred to as advantage players. The casino earns money on these games by taking a percentage of each bet, or a commission that is known as the vigorish or rake.
In addition to the games of chance, some casinos feature table games like baccarat and craps. In these, croupiers run the games, as opposed to those conducted by mechanical devices, such as slot machines. Many casinos also offer a variety of poker variants, and some even have regular poker tournaments.
The casino industry is regulated by state and federal laws, and it is common for gambling facilities to employ security measures to ensure the safety of their patrons. Casino security is usually divided into a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department. The latter uses closed circuit television (CCTV) to monitor the casino floor and responds to reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity.