What does casino mean?
A casino is a public building or room devoted to gambling, offering games of chance such as roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker, and an array of slot machines. The word entered English from Italian, where "casino" is a diminutive of "casa," meaning house — originally a small villa or pleasure pavilion used for social gatherings before it became associated chiefly with gaming. Today the word conjures images of lavish resorts in places like Las Vegas and Monte Carlo, often combined with hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Casinos carry connotations of glamour and excitement but also risk and excess, and the gambling industry they anchor is heavily regulated in most jurisdictions. A secondary sense refers to a traditional card game, now usually spelled "cassino," in which players capture cards from the layout. The plural form is simply "casinos," and the word is standard in both British and American English.
A public building or room where people gamble, typically housing table games such as roulette and blackjack along with slot machines.
"Tourists flocked to the casino hoping to turn their luck around."
In modern usage this is by far the dominant sense of the word in both British and American English.
A card game (more usually spelled "cassino") in which players capture cards from a central layout, scoring points for certain captures.
"My grandmother taught me to play casino on long winter evenings."
This sense is now conventionally spelled "cassino" to distinguish it from the gambling establishment.
Standard regular plural, formed by adding -s.
"Atlantic City's casinos draw millions of visitors each year."
The word "casino" literally means "little house" in Italian — before it meant gambling, it meant a small country villa where Italians gathered for pleasure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of casino
Casino comes from the Italian "casino," a diminutive of "casa" meaning "house," so the word literally means "little house." In 18th- and 19th-century Italy, a casino was a small country villa, summerhouse, or social club built for pleasure, and the term was borrowed into English with this general sense before becoming attached specifically to buildings used for gambling. The same root gives us Italian "casina" and Spanish "casita," both likewise meaning a small house.
How casino is actually used
The word is standard and neutral in register. In American English, "casino" almost always refers to a gambling establishment; the card-game sense is now usually spelled "cassino." In earlier usage, particularly in British and continental contexts, "casino" could also mean a social club or summerhouse, but this sense is now rare.
Easily confused with casino
"Cassino" (also spelled casino) is a fishing card game for two to four players, whereas "casino" as a noun most commonly denotes a building for gambling.