Casino is a movie about gambling, but it is not about how fun it is to lose money. It is about how the casino industry manipulates its customers and keeps them gambling for as long as possible. The film is not meant to be a call for responsible gaming but an exposé on how casinos use psychology, design, and lighting to make you spend more money than you intend.

In addition to dazzling lights and euphoric music, casinos often waft scented oils into their ventilation systems in order to create an artificial feeling of bliss. This, combined with the absence of daylight and clocks, can make hours feel like minutes and keep people gambling longer than they intended. Casinos also employ psychological tactics such as near-wins on slot machines to make players believe that their luck is changing and to keep them playing.

Other movies, such as Goodfellas and The Italian Job, do not fully capture the essence of what it is to be a gambler or a mobster in general. But Casino does, with Robert De Niro as Nicky and Sharon Stone as Ginger. Unlike some other gangster films that seem to advocate the lifestyle, Casino exposes the brutality and avarice behind it all. Whether you are an avid poker player or not, this movie is well worth a watch for the excellent acting and riveting plot. It is one of the most intense, gripping thrillers from Martin Scorsese.