Casino is a movie about greed and corruption. It exposes how mafia families once dominated the gambling industry in Vegas and how huge casinos took over the desert city. This epic drama from Martin Scorsese takes place over a span of nearly three hours but never drags or runs out of steam. This is mostly due to the tight, taut narration by Robert De Niro and some of the best cinematic editing in recent history.
The movie is also an intriguing look at how casinos are designed to influence the behavior of their guests. The longer a player stays and gambles, the more money the casino makes. Casinos employ a variety of psychological tactics to keep players engaged, including the use of flashing lights, glitzy decor, and sounds that imitate the sound of winning coins falling on the tables. These stimuli are designed to elicit the brain’s reward system, making the players feel like they are achieving success, even when the odds are against them.
Another important aspect of casino design is the placement of essential amenities like restaurants, restrooms, and cash machines deep within the gaming floor. This forces players to navigate past enticing slot machines and tables on their way to these facilities, increasing the chances of a spur-of-the-moment decision to stay and play just one more game. Casinos also serve copious amounts of free drinks, which lower the players’ inhibitions and cloud their judgment.
Finally, the casinos often do not have clocks or windows, intentionally keeping their patrons unaware of the passing time and preventing them from leaving. This, along with the nonstop booze that’s offered to players, keeps them sucked in for longer periods of time.