A casino, also known as a gambling house or a gaming establishment, is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are most often built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, and other tourist attractions. Gambling in some form has been part of human culture for millennia, with evidence of dice and card games dating back as far as 2300 BC. Some of the most famous casinos in the world are located in exotic locations, such as Monte Carlo, Venice, and Singapore.
Casinos are regulated and licensed by governments to ensure fair play. Some are owned by corporations, while others are operated by individuals. Most countries have laws regulating the minimum age at which people can gamble, the maximum amount that can be won, and other aspects of casino operations.
Many modern casinos use sophisticated technology to ensure fair play and compliance with regulations. In some examples, betting chips have built-in microcircuitry that interacts with electronic systems at the tables to enable casinos to oversee the exact amounts wagered minute by minute and be warned immediately of any anomaly; roulette wheels are electronically monitored regularly to discover quickly any statistical deviation from expected results. Casinos employ highly specialized mathematicians and computer programmers to analyze and monitor their games.
The casino business is a huge industry worldwide, with some countries (such as the United States) leading the race for the most casinos. Some casinos are also famous for their entertainment offerings, with some hosting celebrities who perform live. The most famous example is the opulent Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, which has featured performances by Frank Sinatra, Liberace, and Dolly Parton.