Casino is a movie about love and trust. It’s about the way we gamble — with our money and our hearts. It’s about the fact that it takes a certain kind of person to get up in the air and drop hundreds or even thousands on a roll of the dice, spin of a wheel, or draw of the cards. It’s about the fact that those who gamble are often a mixed bunch, from those who strut around tables with confidence to those trying to win back what they lost in the last round. It’s about the way that a casino’s decor, music, sounds, and physical design conspire to create an atmosphere of glitz, glamour, and excitement that lulls players into gambling more and more money away.
In Casino, Robert De Niro stars as Sam “Ace” Rothstein, a maverick Las Vegas gangster who’s both confident and principled. He’s a man who sees himself as the embodiment of what it means to gamble with integrity. But he’s also a master of the games and how to manipulate people into spending more and more money than they should.
Casinos attract gamblers by creating an environment that’s a mix of fun and a little bit dangerous. Bright lights, blaring music, and the sound of slot machines clinking create an intoxicating atmosphere that’s hard to resist. Even the most experienced gamblers can find themselves in trouble if they’re not careful.