Casino is a fascinating look at how casinos work and the psychology behind them. It is a movie with many compelling themes: the mob skimming millions out of Las Vegas casinos, the false bedrock on which Ace’s marriage was built, Nicky’s relentless pursuit of Ginger. Robert De Niro’s performance is just superb – his attention to detail, the way he pays attention to other characters, the way he plays the character’s weaknesses and strengths against each other. It’s a very well built story and one that sticks in the mind like glue.
Gambling is a dangerous game, and the fact is that the house always wins. Casinos know this, and they have a number of tricks that help them keep people playing. For instance, they don’t have clocks in the gambling rooms so that players don’t realize how much time has passed. They also give free drinks to gamblers, and that booze helps lower inhibitions and cloud judgment. Plus, they offer a number of rewards programs that dissociate gambling from real money and make it feel like you are earning points that can be cashed in for food or other merchandise.
All these things, combined with the sunk cost fallacy (the idea that you should keep gambling to recover past losses) add up to create a very addictive experience. That’s why it is so important to set a limit for yourself before you walk onto the casino floor: decide how much you can afford to lose and stick to it.