Casino is a large building where people can gamble and play games of chance. It also offers food and drinks. Casinos are a major source of revenue for many states and attract tourists from around the world. They have become a significant part of the American economy, and their presence in the United States has increased since the early 1990s. Casinos are visited by a wide range of Americans, from blue-collar workers to white-collar professionals. Some casinos have even become destination vacation destinations, bringing in visitors from all over the country.

Most casino games have built in advantages that ensure that the house always wins. These advantages may be small compared to the millions of bets placed, but they add up over time. This advantage is called the house edge or the vig and is the main way that casinos make money. It is not the only way that casinos make money, however; they can also take a percentage of winning bets, which is known as the rake.

Casinos are also a center of attention for a number of crimes, including fraud and illegal gambling. Something about the atmosphere of a casino seems to encourage people to cheat or steal, which is why casinos spend so much time and money on security. One tactic is to require dealers to change smaller-denomination chips for larger ones before they can leave a table, so that it is harder for them to hide stolen or counterfeit chips.