A casino is a place to gamble and play games of chance. It may also feature musical shows, lighted fountains, lavish hotels and other attractions to draw in the crowds. But the primary source of entertainment (and profits for the owners) is gambling. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat and poker are just some of the games offered in casinos around the world.

Casinos are places where the rules of chance are enforced by casino employees. They hire pit bosses and table managers who watch over each table to make sure patrons aren’t cheating or stealing chips, for instance. They also employ security cameras to make sure that people aren’t escaping the premises with large sums of money.

But casinos are not immune to the dark side of human nature. Studies have shown that people who are addicted to gambling often generate a disproportionate share of casino profits. And the costs of treating compulsive gamblers can offset any economic benefits the casinos bring to a city.

To find the best casino in the world, we analyzed more than 40 casinos from around the globe to score them on 12 categories including price of entry, spas, hotel rooms, restaurant offerings and gaming space size. The overall winner was the Wynn Macau in China. We’ve also included a list of the top 10 casinos in each country as well as some other fun facts about casino gambling. Read on to learn more about the history of casinos, how they make their money, some popular casino games and how they stay safe from bad players.