The casino world is a place where there are no good guys – every key character is mired in corruption, treachery and avarice. Yet this doesn’t detract from the fact that Casino is one of the most entertaining movies of all time. The movie is packed with bravura set pieces and it’s got some of the best performances ever by Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone.
The word casino originally referred to any public hall where music and dancing was allowed but by the second half of the 19th century it had come to refer to a room or collection of rooms where gambling took place. Today’s casinos add all kinds of luxuries to lure players such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. They are usually located in hotels or standalone buildings and have a high house edge compared to the skill of the player. This means that it is very rare for a casino to lose money.
Modern casinos spend a lot of time, effort and money on security. They have sophisticated eye-in-the-sky surveillance systems that allow security workers to monitor every table, window and doorway of the building at any given time. They also have video recording of everything that happens on the casino floor. This way, if something does go wrong, the casino can review the footage and find out who was responsible for whatever incident occurred. Casinos also have to comply with strict rules regarding player protection and high standards of financial integrity to maintain their licenses.