A casino is a gambling establishment that offers games of chance. It can also provide services such as restaurants, hotels, and other amenities for its guests. Casinos are often located in cities that offer high levels of income and tourism, such as Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, or Macau. Casinos can also be found in other places where legalized gambling is permitted, such as China and Singapore.

In some cases, casinos have a specific theme or genre. For example, the Casino de la Vallée in France was designed to look like a mountain village. Others are more luxurious, such as the Monte Carlo Casino, which has featured in multiple James Bond novels and movies. Some casinos have a live entertainment component, such as the Circus Maximus Showroom in Caesars Palace, which has hosted many famous performers, including Frank Sinatra and a number of other big names.

Gambling in its various forms has been a part of human culture for millennia. The earliest evidence dates back to 2300 BC in China, and dice were first used around 500 AD. Cards came into use in the 1400s, and baccarat became popular in Europe soon after.

The modern casino relies on the expertise of gaming mathematicians and game programmers to manage its financial risk. They must understand the house edge and variance for each game in order to make accurate predictions of how much money the casino will make, and they need to have enough cash reserves to cover any unexpected losses. This way, they can avoid going bankrupt and stay in business for the long term.