A casino is a gambling establishment, typically a large building or room equipped with gaming tables and machines for wagering. The term is also used for a company that operates such a facility. In the modern sense of the word, casinos are distinguished from other gambling establishments by the presence of a professional staff, security guards, and dealers who deal cards. Casinos are licensed and regulated by government authorities in many jurisdictions.

Casinos are very common around the world and have been in existence for nearly 200 years. In the United States, they first appeared on American Indian reservations, which were exempt from state antigambling laws. Then, during the 1980s, they began appearing in Atlantic City, New Jersey and on riverboats. By the mid-1990s, there were more than 3,000 casinos worldwide.

In terms of size, the largest casino in America is Foxwoods, a resort owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. It features a huge gambling hall with 380 tables and 6300 slot machines. It has also hosted the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard and Muhammad Ali.

Another massive casino is the one in Macao, known as the “Monte Carlo of the Orient.” It’s been modeled after its sister Venetian resort in Las Vegas and boasts a 550,000-square-foot gambling area that includes 316 table games and an impressive amount of slot machines. Like any venue where large amounts of money are handled, casinos have to contend with the risk of theft by both employees and patrons. To combat this, most casinos employ a combination of physical security forces and specialized surveillance departments.