In Casino, De Niro and Stone portray characters mired in violence, betrayal, greed, and avarice. The movie does a good job of showing the darker side of Las Vegas. Most other movies gloss over these elements and instead show a picture of paradise, opulence, and happy people gambling and drinking. Casino digs deep and pulls no punches in its depiction of the town’s past ties to organized crime and present-day corruption.
Gambling, in one form or another, has been a part of civilization for millennia. Archeologists found wooden blocks used in games of chance in 2300 BC China, dice showed up in Roman times, and playing cards hit the scene in medieval Europe. Casinos have also been around for a long time. They were first developed as an entertainment center for the aristocracy in elegant spa towns like Baden-Baden.
Modern casinos have become sophisticated. For example, some use technology to monitor all aspects of gaming operations. Chips with built-in microcircuitry enable casinos to oversee the exact amounts wagered minute-by-minute; video cameras are used to supervise roulette wheels and detect any statistical deviation from expected results; and a new generation of slot machines use touch screens and special software that monitor player behavior.
Casinos use marketing strategies to attract and retain customers. They use their amenities, unique offerings, and latest events to boost discoverability on search engines. They also rely on word-of-mouth and social media to encourage people to visit and recommend their establishments. But, most importantly, casinos rely on their customers to trust them.