A casino is a gambling establishment that offers a wide variety of games. Casinos also provide entertainment, hotels, restaurants and other facilities for gamblers and non-gamblers. They are usually located in cities that are famous for gambling, such as Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Some casinos are massive and offer an enormous number of games, while others are smaller but still offer a good selection.
In the twenty-first century, many casinos have figured out that it is difficult to draw enough people just for gambling alone, so they have become casino resorts that include hotel rooms, non-gambling activities, food, drinks and other amenities for entire families. These facilities are also able to attract high rollers who can afford to spend large sums of money. In return, the high rollers receive comps, which are free or discounted goods and services.
Most modern casinos are equipped with high-tech surveillance systems. These are designed to catch cheating and other irregularities by examining video footage from various cameras, which are able to pan, tilt and zoom to focus on suspicious patrons. In addition, casinos use chips with built-in microcircuitry to monitor the exact amounts bet minute-by-minute and to warn players if the results deviate from their expected averages.
Some casinos have poker rooms that host regular tournaments. This is a popular game that has grown to be more than just a hobby in the United States, where it has become a sport and an industry.