Gambling has always been fascinating. Gambling has also long since made it to Hollywood.
The many films dedicated to casinos and gambling highlight both the good and bad sides of gambling. The casino lifestyle is associated with glitz and glamour, but it can also be dangerous.
We have compiled 5 casino movies here that you should not miss. They all promise action, thrills and often a deeper insight into the games and life of a successful casino player. From thrilling blackjack showdowns to the darker side of glitz and glamour, it’s all here. Get ready for an evening at the casino – fancy clothes are guaranteed not to be necessary.
If our list stirs up your appetite and you feel like playing at an online casino after reading this article, then we recommend you visit the Veritop site. There, you can find expert reviews to help you choose the best casino site, along with guides on casino games to ensure that you will have fun!
What are 5 famous casino movies?
1. Casino Royale
By no means should “Casino Royale” from 2006 be missing from our list. Both casino lovers and James Bond titles know: This film has cult status. It was directed by Martin Campbell and stars Daniel Craig, of course. Eva Green and Mads Mikkelsen may also be marveled at on screen: Le Chiffre, for his part the terrorist banker, must win a high-stakes game. James Bond tries to prevent him from winning. There is a riveting scene in the casino when James Bond has to play what is probably his most important poker game.
This film simply combines everything that belongs to the casino. The great mix of risk, style and wealth makes Casino Royale a film that perfectly reflects the casino lifestyle.
2. Rounders
This movie dates back to 1998, making it one of the older titles in our list. It was directed by John Dahl and he breathed life into the talented poker player Mike McDermott, the protagonist in this movie. He wants to quit gambling when he loses all his money in the process. Instead, Mike wants to focus on his studies again from now on. But when his friend is released from prison, everything changes: his friend has debts. Mike wants to help him and starts gambling again.
Rounders shows the love for poker. Among many fans of this game, the film is a real classic. If you like poker, you should definitely watch this movie. In the leading roles you can expect Matt Damon and Edward Norton, who celebrated one of their first successes with this film.
3. Casino
The name says it all: what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. The film is from 1998 and directed by none other than Martin Scorsese. With a length of 182 minutes, you can expect a tremendous story. The stars of this movie also include Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci.
The viewer follows three characters in this film: a bookmaker, a mafia boss and an ex-prostitute. Here, glitz and glamor meet harsh reality and brutal machinations. At the same time, the story is decorated with wit and takes the viewer to the most beautiful casinos of Las Vegas. Murder, deception, greed and power – a film can hardly be more versatile. While in the first part of the film rather the rise plays a role, it goes in the further course then steadily downhill with the glamorous life. If you too would like to learn more about the dark reality of casinos, you should definitely watch this film.
4. 21
The movie “21” is from 2008 and is directed by Robert Luketic. The main actors are Kate Bosworth, Jim Sturgess and Laurence Fishburne. The film was produced in the USA and deals with a dream of many people that one hardly dares to dream: Actually, Ben Campbell only wants to study medicine at Harvard University. But it is impossible for him to afford it on his own. To get money quickly, he joins the “Blackjack Team,” a secret group consisting of M.I.T. students. The members learn how to count cards professionally. They analyze the game and make calculations. Then the team visits several big casinos in Las Vegas and quickly realizes that their reasoning works. The members make more and more money – but sooner or later, of course, the wrong game is discovered.
This film is not a thought experiment, but is based on true events: from 1979 to 1993, such a team of geniuses was actually on the road to outsmart the casinos of the USA. The members, as also depicted in the film, used card counting techniques to win at blackjack. Great that this impressive feat of the MIT Blackjack team was made into a movie a few years ago.
5. Rainman
This film not only changed some things about the public’s perception of autism, but also addresses the acumen required in the casino. The limits of legality also play a major role in this film by Barry Levinson. Although the film was released in 1988, in many ways it is still more relevant than ever.
The story is about Charlie Babbit and his older brother Raymond, who is autistic. Charlie quickly realizes how special Raymond is. He takes him to Las Vegas to find out how well he does at the blackjack table. While Charlie initially perceives his brother as more of a mentally retarded person and comes across as an unsympathetic and arrogant younger brother, he learns quite a bit from Raymond over time.
So this film is worth seeing not only because of the exciting blackjack scenes, but also because of its interesting character developments. Even in schools this film is shown with pleasure, it sensitizes very much for the “otherness” and the different needs of people.
The casino theme as a popular metaphor
Our list shows how versatile directors and screenwriters have taken up the casino theme in their films and writing. In addition to the titles mentioned above, there are many other films that have enjoyed great success. Films like “The Gambler” by Karel Reisz, “Croupier” by Mike Hodges or the classic “Ocean’s Eleven” by Steven Soderbergh are also successful examples of what goes along with the idea of casino games: Often it is greed and the desire to lead a glamorous life that drive the gamblers and crooks. But the fact that not everything is always as glamorous as it seems is shown by the many turning points and dramatic climaxes that we experience in the many Hollywood blockbusters.
If you now also have a desire for casino games: You can certainly learn something from one or the other movie. At the same time, you’ll also quickly realize that the casino usually wins in the end. This is also true in real life, because although games of chance offer great thrills and are often very entertaining, the winning streak can also end quickly. Those who want to play it safe, but appreciate games of chance, can now happily resort to online casinos. There, there are free bonus offers that let you play without making a deposit. If you want, you can also simply play games in the demo version with the no deposit bonus offers. This way, blackjack and roulette can also be enjoyed in game mode without having to wager real money. So, if our list of movies has whetted your appetite for your own gambling, there are plenty of (completely risk-free) options available to you. Whether watching or playing: We wish you a lot of fun!
