A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Some casinos are stand-alone buildings, while others are attached to hotels, restaurants, retail shops or cruise ships. The term may also refer to an entire city or country that is defined by its gambling activity. The Monte Carlo Casino in Monaco, for example, is famous both as a tourist destination and for the role it played in the 2001 film Ocean’s Eleven.

Most casino games provide a predictable long-term advantage to the house, which is mathematically determined and known as the house edge. Some games, however, have an element of skill, such as blackjack and video poker. Players who can eliminate the house edge through skillful play are referred to as advantage players. The casino takes a commission from these players, which is called the vig or rake.

Because of the large amounts of money handled within a casino, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently. Because of this, most casinos take numerous security measures. These include manned security patrols and closed circuit television systems (CCTV), which monitor the gaming areas and are often referred to as the “eyes in the sky.” Modern casinos also utilize technology to prevent criminal activity: for example, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that enables the casino to monitor them minute by minute; roulette wheels are electronically monitored to quickly discover any statistical deviation from expected results.