A casino is a gambling establishment that offers games of chance to patrons. Gambling in casinos brings in billions of dollars each year to companies, investors and Native American tribes that own and operate them. It also brings in revenue for state and local governments that regulate and tax them. Casinos vary in size from massive resorts to small card rooms, and they can be found in cities and towns across the country, as well as at racetracks and on barges on waterways.

Casinos make money by taking a percentage of the total amount wagered on their machines and table games. This is known as the “house edge,” and it exists in almost all casino games. In games that require skill, the house advantage can be reduced through careful play and advanced strategies such as card counting. In other games, such as poker, the house takes a commission on each bet made, called rake.

In addition to the house edge, casinos can earn money through comps, or complimentary items, given to high-volume gamblers. These free goods and services can include hotel rooms, meals, show tickets and limo service. The casino determines which patrons are worthy of such perks based on how much money they wager and how long they spend at the tables.

When Las Vegas became the center of gambling in America, legitimate businessmen were reluctant to invest capital in it because of its seamy reputation. But organized crime figures were able to raise millions of dollars for the area through illegal rackets such as drug dealing and extortion. These mobsters often took sole or partial ownership of casino properties and influenced the results of games by their threats to players.