A casino, or gambling establishment, is an institution where people can gamble and place bets on various sports events. Often, casinos are integrated with hotels, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships. They may also feature live entertainment. Casinos can be found in many cities around the world. The precise origin of gambling is unclear, but it is generally believed that civilizations have embraced it since ancient times.
Gambling, which is considered an entertainment activity, has numerous psychological and social effects. It can lead to addiction and even bankruptcy. For this reason, some governments regulate and limit the types of games available in casinos. In the United States, the legality of casino gambling is regulated by state laws.
In the world of Mafia movies, few films take as many risks as Casino. The movie builds on the basic premise of Goodfellas but moves beyond just a blue collar view of crime in NYC to explore the inner workings of the gambling industry and its pitfalls.
The opening sequence of the film is a fast-cut, stylized documentary that feels as much like an entertaining behind-the-scenes look at a real casino as it does a fictional one. Scorsese’s style eventually evolves from this to something more conventional, but never really loses its momentum or feel.
While the story is nothing new, the performances by De Niro and Joe Pesci are superb. Sharon Stone, who is so often discarded as the token femme fatale in these kinds of films, gives one of her best performances here.