Casino (Movie Review)

Beneath the veneer of flashing lights and free cocktails, casinos stand on a bedrock of mathematics, engineered to slowly bleed their patrons of cash. For years mathematically inclined minds have tried to turn the tables by harnessing their knowledge of probability and game theory to exploit weaknesses in a rigged system. In the end, however, only one thing is certain: the house always wins.

With Casino, Martin Scorsese created a civic portrait of Sin City that was as much about corruption as it was about characters. Drawing heavily from his experience with the mafia in Goodfellas and Raging Bull, he laid bare an intricate web of graft that stretched from the gambling halls to politicians, Teamsters unions, mob bosses, and the Midwest mafia based out of Kansas City.

De Niro is at the top of his form here, delivering a masterful performance as Sam “Ace” Rothstein. He knows just how to use a silence or a look to bring depth and truth to this slick, self-satisfied operator. He’s ably supported by Sharon Stone, who both builds on and inverts her star-making turn from Basic Instinct as Ginger McKenna. She’s a relentless hustler who exults in her ability to seduce and control men (“Smart hustlers like her could keep a guy awake for two or three days”) while lacking any ability to rein herself in.

A top online casino must offer a wide variety of games, including the most popular card games, video poker, and slot machines, and provide fast transactions to deposit and cash out winnings. Additionally, it must have a reputation for fair play and a robust customer support team that can address any issues or concerns. It’s also a good idea to look for casinos that partner with industry-leading software developers and offer a wide range of payment methods.