Casinos are entertainment venues that offer a wide range of games, including slots and poker. There are hundreds of slot machines in Las Vegas, and more than 900,000 installed in the United States at present.

In addition to gaming facilities, there are also performance and dining venues. A casino may also offer a sports book, which is a place where professionals make a living by taking bets on sporting events.

Casinos are staffed with workers who keep an eye on customers, making sure they do not cheat. They also have surveillance cameras in the ceiling that monitor every doorway and table in the casino.

In addition to games of chance, many casinos also offer competitive gaming. This includes tournaments, poker, and roulette. These tournaments are often held by professional event dealers.

Some casinos also specialize in creating new games. Some of these games are regulated by state laws, while others are invented by casino operators.

Most casino games have a mathematical edge, meaning that they give the casino a mathematically determined advantage over the player. This edge is called the house edge.

The house edge is typically 1% on table games, and 8% on slots. It tells the casino how much profit they can expect to get from each wager.

Some casinos also offer comps, which are free items or meals that are given to gamblers. These may include complimentary drinks and cigarettes. Some casinos also offer reduced-fare transportation to big bettors.