A casino is a public place where games of chance are played and gambling is permitted. Licensed and regulated casinos are usually located in cities or towns. Some have elaborate decorations and stage shows to attract tourists. Others have a more casual atmosphere and focus on food and beverage services and sports betting. The best online casinos in Canada offer a wide variety of games.

In general, most casino games have a mathematical expectancy that gives the house an edge over the patrons. This advantage is often expressed as a percentage. The house edge is reduced by skillful play, such as card counting in blackjack. In games with a high degree of skill, such as poker, the casino earns money via a commission known as rake.

The casino industry has grown dramatically with the advent of technology. In addition to video cameras that monitor every table, window, and doorway, sophisticated surveillance systems have been developed that allow security staff to watch entire rooms from a control room filled with banks of monitors. Observing the patterns of behavior of the patrons makes it easier for security personnel to spot suspicious activity. For example, players who suddenly change their bets or leave the table may be trying to hide cheating. Some casino games use computer chips that track the amount of money being wagered minute by minute and alert operators to any deviation from the expected results. This technology is also being used in roulette wheels and other mechanical devices.