Charles III, Prince of Monaco in the late 1800s, created the restriction during a fiscal crisis. The history of the gambling ban itself is a large part of why Monaco has the identity it does today. However, foreign nationals are free to gamble in the casinos and given that they make up 80% of the 36,000 population, that's most of the country anyway. In fact, they're not even allowed inside - although this law is relaxed for casino employees, as lawmakers wisely agreed it help to be able to get into the building you work at. So to start, Monaco's citizens aren't actually allowed to gamble in their famous casinos. In real life, however, Monaco is striving to keep gambling as its national business, rather than its pastime, leading to some strict and surprising laws. On paper, the principality is the picture of glitz and glamour, with its million-pound yachts perfectly placed in the harbour and the winding streets providing an ideal setting for Formula One's best-known Grand Prix race. The Monte Carlo Casino complex is one of the most luxurious and famous in the world, known for its stunning fountains out front and, of course, James Bond's numerous escapades at the venue. The second smallest country in the world, Monaco is a kind of gambling Mecca - up there in most people's minds with Las Vegas and Macau.
