A casino (or gambling house or gaming house) is an establishment where people can gamble on various games of chance. Most casinos offer a wide variety of both table games and slot machines. Some casinos also have other entertainment options, such as high-quality restaurants and luxury hotel rooms. Gambling is a popular activity in many countries and a significant source of revenue in some regions.

The word casino has also been used to refer to the prestigious spa town of Baden-Baden in Germany, which began to attract royalty and aristocracy from across Europe 150 years ago. It is now a world-famous destination that offers five-star hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants, designer shops and top-billed entertainment shows, including the latest music concerts to hit the Billboard charts.

Modern casinos have a physical security force that patrols the premises and responds to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity, while a specialized surveillance department operates the closed circuit television system known as the eye in the sky. A casino’s surveillance staff may also operate the catwalks in the ceiling above the gaming floor, which allow them to look directly down, through one-way glass, on the activities at the tables and slots.

The most famous casino in the world is probably the Venetian resort in Macau, East Asia’s version of Las Vegas. It is massive and extravagant, with its own canal way for gondola rides, an abundance of restaurants and bars, and a vast casino with over a million LED lights.