A casino (or gambling house) is an establishment that offers various forms of gambling. Most casinos also offer restaurants and entertainment. Some casinos are located in or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and/or cruise ships. Some are also known for hosting live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, concerts, or sports events.
A few casinos are named after well-known film characters or locations, such as the Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco, named after its founder, Prince Albert I of Monaco; or the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas, which was inspired by a television series. Some are modeled after historical buildings, such as the casino at the Palace of Versailles in France. The term casino may also refer to a particular game played in the casino, such as poker, baccarat, chemin de fer, blackjack, or video poker.
The majority of casino games involve chance, although some have an element of skill. The mathematical expectancy of a game’s outcome guarantees the casino a profit, or at least a negative expectation. In fact, it is so rare for a casino to lose money on any given day that it has earned the nickname “the house always wins.”
To keep players coming back, casinos offer a variety of perks and incentives. These include free hotel rooms, meals, show tickets, and even limo service and airline tickets for high rollers. Casinos are usually designed around noise, light, and excitement, and many have red walls that are intended to distract players and make them forget the passage of time.