The casino is a place of opulence, neon signs, and people playing cards and slot machines. It’s a fun and exciting way to spend time, but it can also be dangerous for your finances. Many gamblers lose hundreds or thousands of dollars based on the roll of the dice, the spin of the wheel, or the draw of the cards. This is especially true if you’re boozed up, which can lower your inhibitions and cloud your judgment.

The first thing you’ll notice when entering a casino is the noise and flashing lights. There are no straight aisles leading to tables or slots, and the bathrooms are far from the entrance. This is because casinos are designed to be labyrinthine; they want you to get lost in the gambling pits and keep spending money. The casinos also offer free booze to their patrons to encourage drinking and gambling. This booze lowers the inhibitions of players and clouds their judgment, so they make poor financial decisions. Then, when they win, they cheer, which creates a false sense of possibility that keeps them coming back to the table or machine for more losses.

The real-life story behind Casino is far more complicated than the simple tale of mob bosses vying for control of Las Vegas. But Martin Scorsese’s movie is a compelling and important account of how the mafia lost its grip on the city. The film has a number of famous faces in it, including Robert De Niro as the ruthless casino owner Ace Rothstein and Sharon Stone as the seductive Ginger McKenna. The movie is based on the book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese.