When you walk into a casino, it’s almost impossible to ignore the flashy decor and upbeat music. There’s an excitement in the air as people sip champagne and mingle. Gamblers try their luck at games ranging from poker to roulette. There’s no telling when luck will strike, and this adds to the thrill of playing at a casino.
Something about gambling seems to encourage cheating, stealing or scamming in order to win. This is why casinos spend a lot of time and money on security. Casinos have elaborate surveillance systems that can be adjusted to focus on tables, windows and doorways. Cameras can also be aimed at individual patrons to detect suspicious behavior. Casinos are also wired to a central system that records video footage. If a crime or cheating is detected, the casino can review the tapes to identify the culprit.
Casinos provide a significant amount of revenue for local communities, helping to keep unemployment rates low and taxes down. Some cities even depend on the profits from card rooms to fund essential community services or local infrastructure projects. Casinos can have a negative impact on property values in surrounding neighborhoods, however.
De Niro is the linchpin of Casino, but it’s Sharon Stone who spikes the movie with her performance as blonde hustler Ginger McKenna. Trying to parlay her success from Basic Instinct, she exults in her ability to seduce and control men (“a smart hustler like me could keep a man awake for two or three days”). Her portrayal both builds on and inverts the hard-boiled intensity of her role as Catherine Tramell in Goodfellas.