Casino

Stepping into a casino is like entering another world – the glitzy lights, the sound of coins clinking in slots (even though slot machines stopped using real pennies long ago) and the smell of pure excitement. The atmosphere in a casino is intoxicating and, even if you’re not really into gambling, it’s hard to not be drawn into it.

Gambling generates significant revenue for casinos, which in turn help support local economies by providing employment opportunities and boosting the average income in nearby neighborhoods. While some people cheat, steal or scam their way into a jackpot, most simply want to have fun and bet on random chance.

There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes at a casino, though. From a security standpoint, there are thousands of cameras in every corner, window and doorway, which can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons by a team of surveillance experts. The casinos also have elaborate electronic systems that monitor and control everything, including the amount of money paid out by each machine.

Casino is a superior film to Goodfellas and features a more linear, stable story that really gets under the skin of its players. Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are in top form as Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein and his volatile wife Ginger. James Woods and Vinny Vella add to the hilarity of the movie with their respective roles as lowlife con men and gangster henchmen, but it’s Sharon Stone who takes home the prize.