A casino, also known as a gaming house or gambling establishment, is a place where people can gamble. Casinos are usually located in or near hotels, resorts, restaurants, shopping malls, and other tourist attractions. Many of these casinos offer a variety of games, such as blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, and slot machines. Some even have a full-service spa or salon, an art gallery, and other entertainment options.

In addition to their glitzy decor and endless rows of brightly lit slot machines, casinos are designed to encourage patrons to spend more than they can afford to lose. This is because they know that the more money that a patron wins, the more they will want to gamble. The resulting addictive cycle is referred to as the “house edge” and makes casinos one of the world’s most lucrative businesses.

As the popularity of online gambling and social media increases, so too does the demand for world-class casino destinations. This list features some of the largest and most luxurious casinos in the world, each of which boasts an impressive range of games, luxury amenities, and a unique atmosphere that draws visitors from around the globe.

The United States leads the race for most casinos with 2,147 licensed and regulated establishments, followed by Romania and then Spain. However, in terms of total gaming space, the undisputed leader is the Casino de Monte Carlo in Monaco, which occupies a whopping 165,000 square feet. This casino is so large that it has been featured in several movies, including the James Bond films Golden Eye and Never Say Never Again, as well as Eugene Levy’s hit Once Upon a Crime.