Hollywood has always had a massive fascination with the glitz, glamour, and inherent danger of the casino floor.

From gritty mobster epics to slick, fast-paced heist movies, the genre has produced some of the greatest films in history.

Martin Scorsese’s Masterpiece: Casino

Based on a true story, the film details the rise and violent fall of the Tangiers casino empire.

The movie meticulously details the daily operations of a casino, showing exactly how the ‘eye in the sky’ and the pit bosses operated.

• De Niro plays Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein, a genius sports handicapper tasked with running the most profitable casino in town
• The film perfectly illustrates how greed and unpredictable human emotions can destroy even the most profitable criminal enterprise
• The costume design and incredibly accurate set pieces perfectly recreate the neon-soaked excess of the 1970s

Ocean’s Eleven and Rounders

George Clooney and Brad Pitt star in the ultimate casino heist movie, perfectly capturing the modern, luxurious vibe of the Bellagio.

The film accurately portrays the difficult life of a professional poker ‘grinder,’ struggling to build a bankroll and avoid loan sharks.

They serve as a permanent cultural record of how the gambling industry has evolved over the last fifty years.