Casino is a gambling establishment that features games of chance and, in some cases, skill. Most casinos add a variety of luxury amenities to attract customers, such as restaurants, free drinks, and stage shows. Casinos earn money by charging a commission, called a rake, to players in games that involve skill. Casinos also calculate the odds of their games to determine how much profit they can expect to make. These calculations are often performed by expert mathematicians and computer programmers who work in the gaming analysis field.
The sexy, uninhibited nature of casinos has made them popular settings for movies and television shows. In films like Ocean’s Eleven, famous actors are able to experience the thrill of robbery in a real casino and win big prizes. However, many people may not have the opportunity to travel to these exotic locations. This is where the beauty of cinema comes in – it allows viewers to visit places they might otherwise never see and experience the glamor of casinos.
Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film Casino follows Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) as he attempts to run his mob-controlled Tangiers casino in Las Vegas while maintaining a civilized lifestyle with his wife Ginger and money-conditional daughter, Nicky. When mafia enforcer and former best friend, Tommy (Joe Pesci), returns to town with his own agenda, Ace must decide between his old ways and the lucrative business opportunities that lie ahead.
While the film’s depiction of violent criminal activity and the use of drugs are over-the-top, they are true to reality. Similarly, the movie’s portrayal of the soaring and sometimes volatile fortunes of casinos is faithful to the real-world industry.