How casino movies shape public perception of gambling

For instance, no, a scary mob boss will not be after you and your winnings after landing a jackpot online! We’re sharing with you movies that got casino culture totally right, and some that got it, well, completely and utterly wrong. 

Let’s get into it. 

Casino Royale (2006)

High-stakes poker is hot on the agenda in Casino Royale, starring Daniel Craig, who appears as James Bond for the first time. Not every detail is completely accurate, such as the dealer being too vocal, all players having super strong hands, or the incorrect format of showing cards. As one internet user stated:

“In terms of the actual poker, it's shocking, but as a dramatic piece of entertaining cinema it's really good.”

Another user also described the poker hands in the movie:

“My only issue with putting poker games into movies is the way that they have to ramp the tension to the point that the final hand is always some ridiculous outcome that probably has around a one-in-a-(multi)million chance of happening."

However, the sheer intensity of a table game like No Limit Texas Hold‘em for such substantial amounts of cash has been emulated correctly. 

When risking such large amounts of money, the moment just before the cards are displayed is nerve-wracking. That intensity doesn’t change in real life, and some people will indeed bet millions on poker. Just take the actual final hand displayed in movies with a pinch of salt. 

That doesn’t mean that you can’t bet small amounts too. Thousands of euros can be life-changing for some, while it may not be a big deal for others. Still, always make sure you stick to your budget and don’t risk more than you can afford! Either way, landing a win playing poker is good fun, even if it’s less than €100.

The Hangover (2009)

Despite The Hangover being a debauchery-filled comedy, the gang turns to an unlikely hero in Zach Galifianakis (Alan), who uses card counting to win over $80,000 by playing blackjack. 

You can see Alan counting the cards with his mouth in one of the casino scenes, which is a big no-no when it comes to card counting and will find you getting kicked out of the casino in no time. Despite card counting not being illegal, it is a very hard skill to master, and casino bosses will be keeping an eye out for anyone they suspect of counting cards.

So, just because you’ve read a few books or a few articles on how to count cards, it doesn’t mean that you’re now some sort of blackjack guru who can waltz into a casino and win thousands, if not millions of euros. That sort of mindset could lead to you losing a lot of money. 

We suggest that you continue to read up on blackjack strategy, but make sensible bets and play safely.

21 (2008)

Blackjack is the focus of the 2008 film 21, which, unlike The Hangover, is predominantly based on the popular card game. Again, the film centres around counting cards and using this as a strategy to win money at the casino. It is also based on a true MIT Blackjack Team, where a group of students got the better of casinos in Las Vegas.  

How card counting is portrayed in 21 is much more life-like than The Hangover, and shows you the ups and downs of working in what is called an “advantage team.” Many people in real life will attempt to use advantage teams to profit on blackjack, and they will also try to use disguises to fool the casino bosses. 

So, while this movie is a more accurate portrayal of how players will try to gain a significant advantage over the house through deceit, some of the methods are rather obvious. And it’s not as easy as it looks. Here’s an account from an internet user:

“I was a casino manager when this movie came out. Every dip sh*t math major from the area thought they could go beat the house.

They couldn't. We just let them play, slowly realize that movie is bullsh*t and that they just donated $1000 to the tribe. It was endlessly entertaining.”

Of course, the movie is more over the top for cinematic effect, but you are more than likely to get caught if you try out any of the tactics in the film, and most likely lose money.

Ocean’s 13 (2007)

Ah, finally. A casino heist. As you can imagine, the action of a heist movie, combined with the drama, added many unrealistic claims to this 2007 film by Brian Koppelman. So too did the wagering from Brad Pitt (Rusty) when playing craps alongside George Clooney (Danny). Rusty places over $100,000 on snake eyes, which is a totally unrealistic bet due to the size of the wager. 

While manipulating dice games can be done through magnets like those shown in the movie, the dice have to be loaded, meaning it’s very difficult to do this at a real-life casino. 

The security measures displayed in Ocean’s 13 aren’t particularly accurate, either, from the surveillance room to the lockdown procedures. A full-scale, masterminded robbery attempt is also, well, very unlikely. You may see an amateur robbery where someone tries to steal chips from the tables, but that’s about it. 

Casino (1995)

Last but not least, Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi’s crime casino drama showcases the mafia’s role in land-based casinos. The movie is, in fact, based on a true story. It is based on Frank Rosenthal (Sam "Ace" Rothstein — played by Robert De Niro), who was a professional sports gambler and Las Vegas casino executive. 

Rosenthal himself rated the character a "7 on a scale of 1 to 10" in terms of accuracy. So, if you want a good insight into how Las Vegas casinos operated in the 1970s and the impact of the mafia, Casino is a worthwhile watch.

Casino has been considered to be a film about “America, Capitalism, Greed.” Perhaps greed is what comes to mind when people think about playing at casinos, especially when playing for high stakes. Surely that’s one of the main reasons why high-stakes players risk so much money. 

However, for some, addiction is what makes them gamble. It’s not necessarily about the money; it’s more about the highs and lows you get from wins and losses. That’s why we always try to educate players on gambling responsibly. 

A movie like Casino may deter you from playing at a casino. As one internet user stated, it shows how you “can’t have your cake and eat it too.” This is because, at the end of the film, Sam goes right back to where he started. If you get too involved in the casino life, it doesn’t get you anywhere. 

Despite the 1995 film mainly focusing on the life of casino bosses, it still paints gambling in a negative light. But nowadays, things aren’t as extreme. If you play for fun and stay in control, there’s zero chance of getting caught up with the mafia.

Overall impact on public perception

Movies can glorify gambling, especially when playing with high stakes, making it look cool. It’s not all made up how it looks, and no, you’re most likely not going to land millions when playing at the casino. It’s always important to stick to your budget and only risk what you can afford to lose. 

However, it’s important to note that movies may give casinos a bad rep, and the unrealistic portrayals are not an accurate representation. Legit casinos are forced to operate under strict regulations, meaning that they must comply with stringent rules and procedures to keep players safe. 

Nowadays, gambling at real-life casinos is much different from what was shown in the 1970s movie Casino. You won’t endure fierce violence for landing a huge win, and casinos operate under much stricter conditions. 

When gambling online, it is impossible to manipulate the outcomes of casino games. Random Number Generators (RNGs) determine the outcomes of casino games. As long as you play at a licensed online casino, regulatory bodies will ensure that these outcomes are fair.

We're still waiting for Scorsese's follow-up to 'Casino', 'Online Casino'!