After the success of Goodfellas and with a cast including two of its stars, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, Casino looked like it could be another gangster classic. But a deeper exploration of mob life than its predecessor, it ultimately proved to be something more: a cautionary tale about the dangers of gambling and the dangers of putting faith in love and trust.

In the heyday of the Vegas casino industry in the mid-’90s, the movie was both a commercial and critical smash. In its opening sequences, which feature deliberate echoes of the Copacabana scene in Goodfellas and a Steadicam glide through the glitzy rooms of the Tangiers, the movie gives audiences a glimpse into the inner workings of Sin City’s casino culture. We see money counting and the art of skimming; we visit a vault stuffed with cash; we witness the rigged wheel of chance. It’s a picture of power and corruption that seems all too real.

The thrill of playing a game of chance has been the driving force behind casinos since they first appeared in the early nineteenth century. The games are designed to keep players hooked by creating an adrenaline rush, and they also create a sense of community among those who share the same interest in gaming. Today, casinos use a variety of methods to keep gamblers happy and coming back for more, including offering a wide selection of games, high-quality customer support, secure betting environments, and state-of-the-art encryption technology.