A casino is a gambling establishment where people can gamble and play games of chance. It is also known as a gaming house, gambling den, or casin (Spanish for “gambling room”). In the United States, casinos are licensed and regulated by state governments. Gaming control boards or commissions are responsible for creating rules and regulations for gambling operators based on the state’s gambling laws. Casinos are usually located near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions.

Gambling is a highly profitable business for casinos. The profits are not from giving away free money to gamblers; the profits are from the built-in advantage of each game, which is known as the house edge. Casinos hire mathematicians and computer programmers to create mathematical models that predict the expected profit from each game, and they constantly monitor their financial books to ensure that the actual results match up with the predicted ones.

The casino industry is a major source of revenue for many states. Nevada is especially well known for its 340 casinos, and Las Vegas is famous for its large casino resorts. Other states with large numbers of casinos include New Jersey and Atlantic City, and some American Indian reservations have their own casinos.

The casino industry has come under criticism for the negative impact it can have on a community. Critics claim that the profits from casino gambling divert spending from other forms of entertainment and increase crime. They also argue that the cost of treating compulsive gambling and lost productivity from workers addicted to casino games outweighs any economic benefits the casinos might bring.