In many ways, no other movie has done a better job of capturing what it’s like to be in a casino than Martin Scorsese’s Casino. While other movies and TV shows focus on a glittering and glamorous Vegas, Casino goes much deeper. It lays bare the intricate web of corruption that ran through Las Vegas, with tendrils reaching into politicians, Teamsters unions, and even the Chicago mob. The film is based on the investigative non-fiction work Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese.
Casino also does an excellent job of showing what it’s like to gamble, contrasting the glitz and glamour with the reality of the gaming experience. It shows how gambling is not a lucrative way to make money, and the real reason why casinos have games that give them an edge over the players: To ensure their own profitability.
Modern casinos use sophisticated technology to monitor and control the gaming process. From chips with built-in microcircuitry that enable casinos to oversee the exact amounts wagered minute-by-minute, to roulette wheels wired with electronic monitoring devices to discover any statistical deviation from expected results. They employ mathematicians and computer programmers who analyze these data to determine the house edge and variance of each game, and adjust their odds accordingly.
While casinos rely on the House Edge to keep their profits high, they still need to attract guests to stay and play. To reach them, they need to offer more than just slot machines and table games. They need to be well positioned for events and group business, and they need to promote their amenities, including luxurious hotels, cutting-edge technology, flexible event and entertainment spaces, delicious restaurants, and other attractions.