A casino is a gambling establishment, especially one that offers games of chance. Casinos may also have live entertainment and restaurants, and some are combined with hotels or resorts. The word casino is derived from the Italian city of Casin, meaning “little house.” The first known casinos date to 2300 BC, in China, where archeologists have found wooden blocks used for games of chance. Dice came to Rome in 500 BC, and card games followed shortly after. Gambling in the modern sense of the word arose in the Middle Ages, and was legalized in some places in Europe by 1600.

Today, casinos are found worldwide. The United States has the most casino locations, with around 2,147 licensed casinos and 619 hotel casinos across the country. Some cities are famous for their casinos, such as Venice, Monaco, and Singapore. The MGM Grand, located on the Las Vegas Strip, is a well-known example of a storied gambling den that draws in both hardened dollar spinners and curious newbies. This casino is best known for poker, but it also has the usual assortment of game tables and slot machines. Its lively area for sports betting, with 60 large plasma tv’s, is another draw.

Due to the large amount of money handled, casinos are susceptible to cheating and stealing by patrons and staff. For this reason, they employ a variety of security measures. These include cameras, which are located throughout the facility, and electronic monitoring of gaming tables and roulette wheels. Casinos also employ mathematicians and computer programmers to develop algorithms that predict expected wins and losses.