Most people think of casinos as fun places to hang out with friends, enjoy the glitz and glamour, and gamble away their Saturday night. But beneath the dazzling lights and free cocktails, Casino is a real-life expose about how these attractive establishments manipulate patrons into spending their money. From scented ventilation systems to opulent decor, casinos use psychology and design tricks to trick people into gambling their hard-earned cash even though the house always wins.
Many casinos feature floor-to-ceiling windows that block out the sun. This helps them maintain a consistent and controlled atmosphere, and makes it difficult to tell what time of day it really is. Casinos also serve a lot of booze, which lowers inhibitions and clouds judgment. This combination can lead to bad decisions that can quickly deplete your bankroll. And to further encourage sloppy behavior, casino designers often make sure the bathrooms are located deep within the premises. This forces patrons to walk past lots of games and slots, making them more likely to try their luck.
Casino lays bare the mafia machinations that run Vegas, with tendrils reaching into politicians, Teamsters unions, and mob bosses. The movie’s star-studded cast — especially De Niro and Sharon Stone — is what carries the film, but Casino is an important history lesson about the dangers of gambling.
