A casino is a place where music blares, champagne glasses clink, and people from all walks of life mingle to try their luck at games like blackjack, poker, and roulette. While casinos may offer other luxuries to their guests (including restaurants, shopping centers and stage shows), they would not exist without the billions in profits they make each year off gambling.
The word “casino” translates to “small clubhouse,” and the idea behind modern casinos originated in Italy, with the closure of large public gaming houses causing people to meet in private places where they could gamble. Today, most modern casinos are designed to stimulate the senses and keep people coming back for more. For example, they often use bright colors like red to attract the eye and encourage gambling, and many of them don’t even display a clock, so patrons will lose track of time.
Another way casinos lure players is by offering comps, or free goods and services, to the “big spenders.” These rewards can include free hotel rooms, dinners, shows, and limo service. Players who play for long periods of time and make high bets are called “big spenders,” and it is these individuals who give casinos their highest profit margins.
Although Casino portrays a lot of violence and treachery, the movie is not without its moments of compassion. As a depiction of human tragedy, it is one of Martin Scorsese’s most compelling movies. From the brutal torture scene with De Niro’s character to the eventual overdose and death of Sharon Stone’s Ginger, the film is riveting until the very end.