After the success of Goodfellas and Raging Bull, Scorsese took a big risk with Casino. Unlike other movies that glamorize Las Vegas, this one exposes the city’s seedy underbelly of violence and corruption. And it does so without skimping on the action. Almost every scene is frenetic, and the acting is top-notch.
The casino business is all about maximizing profit. A game player’s odds of winning are stacked against him, but the casinos make money by encouraging patrons to play their games for as long as possible. This way the casino can recoup their initial investment and generate more profit by paying out winning bettors. To keep their gambling revenue at the highest level, casinos offer extravagant inducements to the biggest bettors. These include free spectacular entertainment, luxury living quarters, reduced-fare transportation, and a host of other amenities.
In addition, casinos can suck in extra money from players by allowing them to smoke and drink while playing their games. This is a key aspect of the casino experience, and it contributes to the excitement of the place. The lighting, music, and other elements of design also add to the thrill.
But beneath the flashing lights and free drinks, a casino is built on a bedrock of mathematics, engineered to slowly bleed its patrons of cash. For years, mathematically inclined physicists have tried to turn the tables by using their knowledge of probability and game theory to exploit weaknesses in a rigged system.