Casino is a gambling establishment offering an array of games where patrons place cash or casino chips and hope to win. These games usually have a predictable long-term advantage for the house, but some allow skillful players to eliminate this edge. Some casinos also employ special technologies to prevent cheating and stealing by both patrons and staff; for example, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry to enable them to be tracked minute by minute, and roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover any statistical deviations from expected results.

Gambling has been popular throughout history, and the casino industry has grown rapidly as more states have legalized the activity. Casinos can be found all over the world, from opulent resorts in exotic locations to smaller gambling dens in suburban towns. The United States has the highest concentration of casinos, with Atlantic City, New Jersey and Chicago the largest gambling centers based on revenue.

Some casinos focus purely on gambling, with rooms filled with slot machines and table games, while others offer a variety of entertainment activities. These may include restaurants, bars and nightclubs, as well as a wide range of sports events and live music performances.

The elegant spa town of Baden-Baden in Germany drew royalty and aristocrats to its casinos 150 years ago, and German actress Marlene Dietrich once declared it the most beautiful casino in the world. Today, it’s a sophisticated casino that boasts of the finest croupiers in Europe and offers its guests luxurious living quarters, top-notch entertainment and gourmet cuisine.