A casino, or casin in Italian, is a gambling establishment where customers can gamble by playing games of chance or skill. A casino may also offer entertainment and dining facilities. Most casinos have security measures in place to prevent cheating and theft by both patrons and staff. These include security cameras and various other electronic monitoring systems. Some casinos may also have catwalks in the ceiling that allow surveillance personnel to look directly down on the games being played through one-way mirrors.

The world’s top casinos offer a heady mix of luxury and luck, from opulent suites and spas to roulette wheels and blackjack tables. In the elegant spa town of Baden-Baden, for example, where German actress Marlene Dietrich once ruled, an exquisite palace hotel and casino was built in the Baroque style. Today it remains a popular destination for European royalty, with a Salon Prive for high-rollers and a plethora of roulette and poker tables.

Outside of Las Vegas, casinos can be found in many places around the globe, from the opulent cityscape of Macau to the Brazilian resort of Rio de Janeiro. The latter is a major tourist attraction, offering a carnival atmosphere and 24-hour slots with 274 machines, as well as a number of table games and regular poker tournaments. Its dazzling exterior is illuminated by more than a million LED lights, and it has been named the world’s most spectacular casino by CNN Travel. It has recently added a hotel, restaurants and a spa to its arsenal of offerings, hiring one of the world’s best chefs to cater to its clientele.