A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships and other tourist attractions. In some countries, casinos are legalized and regulated by government. In others, they are outlawed and regulated or operate only in special areas like frontier towns or tourist destinations. The precise origin of gambling is not known, but it is generally believed to have evolved from activities involving chance.

In modern casino security is usually divided between a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department that operates the casino’s closed circuit television system, commonly called “the eye in the sky”. The two departments work closely together to protect both guests and property. In addition, most casinos use a wide range of other security measures including the physical presence of guards and hostesses, strict rules about table talk, and the requirement that players keep their cards visible at all times.

The largest casinos in the world are located in cities such as Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore. Other popular gaming destinations include Monte Carlo and the elegant spa town of Baden-Baden in Germany, which first became a playground for European royalty and aristocracy more than 150 years ago and still attracts them today with its opulently outfitted casino. Even exotic locales such as Ibiza, whose beaches and parties are legendary, have a casino, the Ibiza Gran Casino. It lives up to its surface decadence with 800 gaming tables and 1000 slot machines, but it also offers a variety of other entertainment options for visitors not inclined to gamble.