A casino, or gambling house, is an establishment for various types of gambling. These casinos are usually combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops and other tourist attractions. Casinos in the United States are licensed and regulated by state governments. They are also sometimes operated by Native American tribes on reservations. The games played in these establishments are primarily chance-based, although there is often an element of skill involved. Players may place bets against the house or against other patrons. The casino typically makes its profit by taking a percentage of each pot or charging an hourly fee to play certain games.
The modern casino has its origins in the 18th century, when gambling became popular in many European countries. By the 20th century, it had become a worldwide phenomenon. In the United States, casino gambling began appearing in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1978, and by the 1980s, had spread to other parts of the country. Casinos are also found on American Indian reservations, which are exempt from state laws that prohibit gambling.
Casinos use technology to monitor their operations and to make sure that the games are fair to customers. For example, in a game such as roulette, the wheel is electronically monitored to ensure that the results are consistent with its expected probabilities. Likewise, chips with built-in microcircuitry interact with electronic systems to allow the casino to track exactly how much money is wagered minute by minute and warn staff of any deviation from protocol.