A casino is a place where people can gamble and play games of chance. It has the trappings of a luxurious resort, with restaurants, free drinks, stage shows and dramatic scenery. But under the gloss of flashing lights and high rollers, casinos stand on a bedrock of math that guarantees them a net profit on every bet.

To attract and keep customers, casinos offer a wide variety of gambling activities. Some, such as blackjack and video poker, require skill; others, like roulette, craps and baccarat, involve luck. Some casinos also have sports betting and horse racing. In some countries, the houses that run these casinos must be licensed and regulated by government authorities.

Casinos often lure customers with free food and drink, and a number of them have elaborate buffets. Some even have ice cream parlors, pizza shops and steakhouses. Many cities have one or more casinos, and some have a large number of them.

In the 1950s, when organized crime figures began to invest money in Reno and Las Vegas casinos, they brought a seamy reputation with them. They took over management, sometimes took sole or partial ownership of some casinos, and used their muscle to extort money from casino employees. They also hired henchmen to threaten or beat up shady patrons and to manipulate the results of some games.