A casino, also known as a gaming house or a gambling house, is an establishment that houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are often combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and other entertainment venues. They may also be located on cruise ships, in airports, or on military bases. In the United States, the most famous casino is in Las Vegas. There are over 1,000 casinos in the United States. A few states, including Nevada, have laws that regulate and tax the industry. Other states, such as New Hampshire and New Mexico, have laws that prohibit casinos or limit their size.
A modern casino is designed to attract customers and maximize revenue through games of chance. These games are usually played with cards or dice, although some casinos offer skill-based games such as baccarat and blackjack. In many of these games, the house has a mathematical advantage over players, which is called the house edge. The house edge varies from game to game, but in general it is always negative for the player.
The precise origin of gambling is unknown, but it has been a feature of human culture for millennia. Evidence of gambling has been found in China as early as 2300 BC, and it became a popular pastime in the Roman Empire around 500 AD. By the 1400s, a variety of table games had emerged, including what would become the most famous casino game in the 20th century: poker.
