A casino is a building or room where gambling takes place. It is also a place where entertainment is provided, such as concerts and stand-up comedy. Casinos are sometimes combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships. The first modern casinos appeared in the nineteenth century. Today there are over 1,000 casinos worldwide.

Gambling has been a part of human culture for millennia. The earliest evidence dates to 2300 BC China, where wooden blocks were used to make bets on the outcome of chance games. Dice games were popular in Rome in the 1400s, and card games were introduced in the 1600s. Modern casinos feature a variety of gambling options, including slots, table games, and poker. The largest casinos in the world are located in Las Vegas, Macau, and Singapore.

Casinos make most of their money from high-stakes gamblers. These people typically play in special rooms that are separated from the main casino floor and have stakes that can reach tens of thousands of dollars. In return, casinos provide comps to these gamblers, such as free hotel suites and food.

Modern casino technology has increased the security of casino operations. For example, chips have built-in microcircuitry that allows casinos to monitor the exact amount wagered minute by minute and warn of any anomaly; roulette wheels are electronically monitored to discover quickly any deviation from their expected results; and video cameras are constantly monitoring guests and the games for suspicious or definite criminal activity.