A rare look inside the Monte Carlo Casino, the world's most spectacular place to gamble

REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

There is no casino more grand and more famous than the Casino de Monte Carlo in Monaco. The ornate gambling house has been featured in multiple "James Bond" movies and is perhaps the most iconic building in the tiny principality.

Cameras are strictly forbidden inside the casino's gilded rooms. But in 2014, Reuters photographer Eric Gaillard gained access to document the casino's inner workings over three days.

He wrote on Reuters' photographers' blog: "I was surprised by the lavishly decorated interior, and greeted by the sound of vacuum cleaners as valets cleaned the gaming tables, removing dust and bits of foreign matter that might compromise gambling results. I quickly realize how privileged I am to witness this private world with its codes and particularities."

Step inside the world's grandest casino and meet the people who make it tick.