A casino (or gaming house) is an establishment for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertainment, such as concerts and sports events. In the United States, the term casino may also refer to a privately owned and operated gaming establishment licensed by a state government. Historically, the best-known casino was in Monte-Carlo, an elegant spa town that became famous for its gambling in the early 20th century and drew royalty and aristocrats from across Europe.
A modern casino is a complex facility that includes a full range of games and services for its patrons. A full range of gambling options usually includes table games, poker, video and reel machines and more. Many modern casinos have a live dealer room where players can interact with a human croupier and place bets via an electronic feed, in addition to the traditional automated machines.
The games and facilities at a casino are protected by various security measures. The most basic is a physical security force, often augmented by a specialized surveillance department. In addition, some casinos employ a variety of electronic monitoring systems that provide a view of patrons in all areas of the facility. Both the physical security forces and the specialized surveillance departments are trained to detect suspicious or threatening behavior by both staff and patrons. Regardless of the security measures, some casino visitors are still tempted to cheat or steal, either in collusion with employees or independently.