A casino is a gambling establishment that accepts bets on games of chance or skill. The casino also offers a variety of services to its patrons such as entertainment, dining and lodging. Casinos are often located in tourist destinations with a high level of consumer spending such as Las Vegas, Nevada, Macau, China and Atlantic City, New Jersey. In some states, casinos are operated by Native American tribes.

Casinos make money by allowing patrons to gamble with cash or casino chips. Most of these games have a house edge, which is the house’s mathematical expectancy of winning compared to that of the player, calculated using standard card-counting methods. The house’s profit is made by charging a commission on bets placed by players in games against the house, such as poker and blackjack.

In the past, mobster money funded many of the largest casinos in Las Vegas and Reno. However, federal crackdowns and the risk of losing a gaming license at even the slightest hint of mob involvement mean that legitimate businessmen now run most of the major casinos in the United States. Real estate investors and hotel chains such as Donald Trump and Hilton have gotten into the business, buying out mobsters and focusing on customer service.

The average casino gambler in 2005 was a forty-six-year-old woman from a household with an above-average income. This demographic is more likely to be married than single and is less likely to have children. Casinos often target this audience by offering them perks such as free entertainment, meals and luxury suites.