A casino is a gambling establishment that offers various games of chance and in some cases skill. It is a highly profitable business and in general has a negative expected value for players, which is called the house edge. In the case of some games, the house may also take a commission or rake, as in poker.

A modern casino typically employs a physical security force to patrol the floor and respond to calls for assistance or reports of suspicious or definite criminal activity, while a specialized surveillance department runs the casino’s closed circuit television system (CCTV). The two departments work very closely together to prevent crime and are usually successful in doing so.

The word casino is believed to have originated in Italy, where the world’s oldest casino – the Casino di Venezia – still stands. The Mauro Codussi-designed building was first used as a theatre, and casino games were played during performance intermissions.

While the idea of a casino has a decidedly glamorous air to it, not all casinos are created equal. From Las Vegas to Monaco and Singapore, the world’s most luxurious casinos pair high stakes with a whole host of opulent amenities that set them apart from the competition.

Among the glittering cityscape of Macau, east Asia’s version of Las Vegas, one casino stands out above all others: the Grand Lisboa. The glitzy building – designed to look and feel like a birdcage – is the city’s tallest structure, crowned with a million LED lights. Its interior lives up to its exterior, with 800 tables and 1000 slot machines spread across a number of large and lavishly decorated floors.