Casino – A Look at the Corruption of Las Vegas

Casinos are flashy, extravagant places where people mingle over drinks and try their luck at games like blackjack and poker. They also offer other entertainment options like live music and shows that create an energetic buzz. People at a casino are usually pretty diverse in their intentions — some may be regulars strutting with confidence, others are trying to win back what they lost, and others might just be in it for the adrenaline rush of the game. But regardless of their motivations, they all share one thing in common — they’re having a great time!

Casino offers a glimpse of the glamorous side of Vegas. But it isn’t without its shady undercurrents. The movie lays bare an intricate web of corruption centered in Las Vegas, with tendrils reaching into politics, the Teamsters union, and even the Midwest mafia based out of Kansas City. While Scorsese concentrates his story on three main characters, the film is a veritable history lesson about the rise of Vegas as an entertainment capital.

During the 1990s, casinos increased their use of technology. For example, cameras in the ceiling give security workers a high-tech “eye-in-the-sky” that can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons at any table or window; electronic systems allow casinos to monitor betting chips minute by minute and alert them when the results deviate from expected odds; and roulette wheels are monitored electronically to discover any anomaly. While the technology makes casinos more secure, it also enables them to detect and punish cheaters and crooks more effectively.