A casino is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Some casinos also have entertainment venues and restaurants. They may be standalone, or they can be combined with hotels, resorts, cruise ships, retail shops, or other tourist attractions. In the United States, the Las Vegas metropolitan area has the most casinos, followed by Atlantic City and Chicago.
Caesars Palace, a landmark on the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the most famous casinos in the world. Its Circus Maximus showroom has hosted a range of entertainment acts including Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Cher, Madonna and others. The casino has 1,324 slot machines and 185 table games, plus a variety of poker games.
In addition to providing an array of entertainment, the casino is a significant source of revenue for its owners. Its annual revenues are in the billions, making it among the largest money-making businesses worldwide.
The casino’s storied past includes some high-profile events and scandals, including a famous incident in which MIT students beat the house. Other notable events include the Monte Carlo Casino’s role in numerous James Bond novels and films, and its appearance in a number of television shows.
Gambling has been part of human culture for millennia, with evidence of games of chance dating back to 2300 BC China. Modern casinos feature a variety of ways to bet, with some specializing in particular games or markets. Given the large amounts of money handled within, both patrons and staff may be tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion or independently; most casinos have security measures in place.