A casino, also known as a gaming house or a gambling establishment, is an establishment where people can gamble. Some casinos are stand-alone buildings, while others are built within resorts, hotels, restaurants, cruise ships or other tourist attractions. In the United States, the largest concentration of casinos is in Las Vegas, Nevada. Historically, casinos were often associated with organized crime, but more recently some have been linked to legitimate businesses, such as technology companies, horse racing, and even golf.
Many casinos offer a wide variety of casino games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and poker. Some casinos specialize in certain types of games, such as Asian-style table games like sic bo and fan-tan. In addition to these games, most casinos also offer a range of other gambling opportunities, such as off-track betting on races and events, and keno.
Because of the large amounts of money handled by casinos, security is a key concern. Both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with each other or independently; as such, most casinos have security measures in place to deter these actions. These measures vary by casino, but typically include a combination of cameras and human surveillance.
Gambling in some form has existed in nearly every society throughout history. Although some governments outlaw it, most regulate it to some extent. The American Gaming Association conducts an annual survey (State of the States 2004) regarding gambling acceptability in the United States. According to the survey, 54% of Americans surveyed found casino gambling acceptable.
