A casino, or gaming house, is a place where people can play a variety of games of chance for money. Some casinos also offer food and drinks to their patrons. Most countries have laws regulating the types of games that can be played in a casino. In the United States, there are over 50 million people who visit a casino each year.

Casinos make most of their profits from high-stakes gamblers. These gamblers often gamble in rooms separate from the main floor and bet sums of up to tens of thousands of dollars. In order to attract these high-stakes players, casinos must spend a lot of money on lavish entertainment and amenities.

Moreover, something about gambling seems to encourage people to cheat and steal, either in collusion or independently. Thus, casinos must invest a great deal of time, effort and money on security measures to keep their customers safe. Security cameras are a common feature in modern casinos.

The average casino customer is a forty-six-year-old female from a household with an above-average income. She has more vacation time and discretionary spending than her younger counterparts. In 2005, Harrah’s Entertainment reported that 24% of Americans had visited a casino at least once. This compares to 20% in 1989. The data was compiled from face-to-face interviews with 2,000 American adults and the U.S. Gaming Panel. It is important for casinos to know both their house edge and variance (the statistical variation of payouts). Mathematicians that study these factors are called gaming analysts or mathematical statisticians.