A casino is an establishment for gambling. Casinos may be stand-alone, or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships or other tourist attractions. In the US, they are often regulated by state law, and their facilities are overseen by the gaming commission. They are also known for hosting live entertainment such as concerts and sporting events. The term casino is a French word, and its English equivalent is gambling house.

Gambling, in all its various forms, has been part of human culture for millennia. The earliest evidence of dice dates back to 2300 BC, while the earliest cards appeared in the 1400s. Among the most popular games in modern casinos are blackjack, roulette, and poker.

In order to mitigate the risk of theft and cheating (either by patrons or employees), casinos use various security measures. These usually include a physical security force and a specialized surveillance department. In addition, most modern casinos have a variety of electronic tools to monitor and prevent fraud, such as video cameras and specialized software.

The casino in the elegant spa town of Baden-Baden first became a playground for European royalty and aristocracy 150 years ago, and today it’s still one of the most extravagantly outfitted casinos in the world. It’s even topped by a giant LED dome made of more than a million lights. And then there’s the glitzy City of Dreams in Macau, East Asia’s version of Vegas. The hotel-casino complex features multiple towers with a multitude of rooms and a spectacular water show.