Casino is Martin Scorsese’s most violent film, but it’s also one of his most faithful in depicting Las Vegas as it really is. It is a place where gambling and opulence are the main draws, with an added layer of organized crime, corruption and power struggles that make the desert city unique amongst its peers.
As its name suggests, a casino is simply a place where a variety of games of chance can be played. While most casinos add many luxuries to their facilities in order to attract customers, such as restaurants, free drinks and stage shows, the core offering is still the same: a chance for players to win money through various games of chance.
A casino’s goal is to encourage game players to gamble as much as possible and return in the future. To do this, casinos try to make the experience fun and enjoyable. This is often accomplished by offering rewards for frequent visitors or those who spend large amounts of time in the casino. These perks are known as comps. Some examples include free rooms, meals, tickets to shows or even limo service and airline tickets.
Because most casino games are based on luck, the house always has a mathematical advantage over patrons. This is called the “house edge” and is a key factor in a casino’s profitability. To combat this, most casinos offer large bettors lavish inducements in the form of free spectacular entertainment and luxury living quarters, while less affluent patrons are offered free drinks and cigarettes while gambling and reduced-fare transportation.