A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Traditionally, casinos have been combined with hotels, resorts and restaurants, but there are now some that are solely dedicated to gaming. Most of these offer a variety of table games, like blackjack, poker and roulette, as well as electronic slots and video poker. Some also have a wide variety of other specialty games, such as baccarat, and even dice games such as craps or keno.
Regardless of the type of game, all casinos have one thing in common: the house always has a mathematical advantage over the player, and this edge is known as the “house edge” or “vigorish.” Players with sufficient skills can eliminate this long-term disadvantage and gain a significant short-term profit. In these cases, the players are known as advantage players.
Casinos are often crowded with flashing lights, glamour and luxury. They are usually staffed by people trained to deal with patrons, some of whom may be attempting to cheat or steal, either in collusion with other patrons or independently. To protect themselves from such actions, many casinos use technology to monitor their games. For example, betting chips with built-in microcircuitry enable the casinos to track the exact amount of money placed on each wager minute-by-minute; roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover any statistical deviation from their expected results.
A good online casino will offer a wide selection of real money games for Canadian players. They should also offer secure banking and a 24/7 live chat service that includes a North American number and quick email support. In addition, they should be able to accept deposits and withdrawals via all major credit cards and e-Wallets.