by Stormtrooper on Jul 13, 2023
Casinos, gambling tables, Las Vegas - it's hard to imagine modern film culture without them. And it's not just today that casinos are some of the most impressive film backdrops because it's been impossible to imagine the world's films and TV series without them for tens of years.
In most cases, we are talking about land-based arcades - even though, in reality, the majority of gamblers prefer virtual gaming versions. After all, it is possible to play in play at StayCasino without making a deposit and thus get a small portion of gambling at home without any risk.
In the movie business, however, the focus is usually on traditional casinos. The magnificent gambling halls in Las Vegas, the impressive modern buildings in Macau or the one or other stylish German casino. Regardless of which casino is featured in the film, the same games are usually part of the plot - and it is precisely these that we want to take a closer look below and understand what makes these games of chance so appealing in films.
Basically, there are two major gaming areas in land-based casinos: the slots area, which is usually located in the front halls and entrance area, and the table games area. The latter are usually offered in the rear casino sections, whereby even separate "back rooms" are very common, in which exclusive games take place that not everyone can participate in. Separate areas for high rollers can also be found in most large casinos.
But where are most of the films shot? The answer is clear: at the table games. There, the stakes are high, strategic decisions have to be made, and there are also dark machinations. Directors prefer showing scenes with games in which social interaction and contacts play a role, strategy is in the foreground, and thus a great deal of suspense can be generated.
Among all the casino table games, there is one clear favourite in the movie industry that is more often part of film plots than any other. This is the poker table. It is the setting for many movie scenes that flickers across the screen in cinemas and living rooms around the world for decades. Above all, because of the strategic aspect, it is an outstanding game of chance around which exciting stories can be built particularly well.
In poker, participants do not play against the casino, but against other players. The luck factor lies in the cards received, but a large part of the success of the game is due to the strategy of the individual players. In addition, various films also like to show the various ways of cheating in the game of poker. Thus, intrigues and interpersonal relationships quickly come to the fore - and it is precisely these that naturally make excellent film material.
Casinos and especially poker games as a central element in cinematography are not uncommon. But what is actually worth seeing? You could probably list umpteen different films that convince their fans with one or the other feature. In the end, however, we have decided on three really top movies that we would like to recommend to you. No matter whether you are a gamer yourself or not, these hits are guaranteed to thrill you!
A comparatively new film, Molly's Game only hit cinemas for the first time in 2017. The film is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name and tells the story of Molly Bloom, who runs an underground poker empire where Hollywood celebrities, stars, and also the Russian mafia like to meet and play for really big sums. When the FBI comes into play, the drama is perfect. A captivating film, made irresistible above all by the fact that it is based on true facts.
The 21st part of the successful James Bond series should, of course, not be missing from any list of the best gambling films. After all, the title already refers to a very big casino, the Casino Royale. With Daniel Craig as the super spy, it convinces with a grandiose acting performance and thus contributes not insignificantly to its success around the world. Even today, the film, which was released in 2006, is often described as the best James Bond of all time - and rightly so, in our opinion. Have you seen it? No? Then let's go - pure suspense is guaranteed.
A classic among poker films, which came to the casinos in 1998 - just at the right time. In the poker boom of the time, the film quickly became a cult hit. Unlike many other films dealing with poker and gambling, Rounders was not set in real casinos but in the underground poker scene of New York and the world. With Matt Damon and Edward Norton as the main cast, their incredible acting performances and the successful plot, the film convinces young and old and should not be missing in any good movie assortment.
Poker is just one of the many games that make their big appearances in various casino films. Of course, there is a whole range of other games that are also featured very frequently and, above all, successfully - and they don't even have to be casino table games! Slot machines are also often featured in films, especially when the aim is to emphasise the positive, joyful and rather light side of gambling.
While poker films are usually set in dark alleys and are bursting with excitement and action, films about slots usually go in a different direction. Here, the viewer is more likely to encounter lightness and cheerfulness, with a little love story on the side and humorous moments in between. Slot machines appear mainly in comedies set in and around Las Vegas.
Here, of course, we immediately think of the three-part film series Hangover, in which a party in Las Vegas gets out of hand. But this is far from the first film to take up this story (which is probably not that far from the truth). Back in 1998, Peter Berg's comedy Very Bad Things brought a failed bachelor party into the centre of the plot and thrilled the audience.
We have already mentioned poker tables as popular casino movie locations. If the poker game is the central focus of the film, it is usually dark, gloomy and dramatic. But it can also be action-packed, sometimes brutal and bloodthirsty. Films that are often not for the faint-hearted.
Why is there this tendency towards dark films about poker? Quite simply, there is a historical background. For a long time, the development of poker took place mainly in the illegal sphere, and it also occupied an important place in the Wild West. So it's no wonder that this is also taken up in modern films.
If we go a little further into the world of casino games and the movie industry, a clear differentiation between games for women and men also becomes apparent. How often have you seen a woman at the poker table in a film - especially when this woman was not the central character? Very rarely, probably. If, on the other hand, you take a look at dice games or even roulette and their representation in movies, women are much more strongly represented.
Usually in elegant, floor-length evening gowns and often as "Lady Luck" at the side of a man, women look particularly good at these gaming tables in films, regardless of whether they are involved in the actual plot or not.
The game of 21 is one of the most popular table games in casinos. It is a simple game whose rules are quickly understood and where players can win quite a lot with a bit of luck, even without needing any special skills. In view of the particularly great popularity of the game, it is a little surprising how rarely it appears in movies with casino themes.
But of course, there is an explanation for this as well. The very thing that makes the game so popular - namely, the simple rules - is precisely what often makes the game somewhat uninteresting for film producers. A player competing against the dealer has little chance of cheating and short game cycles. All this does not necessarily sell well in movies. Only the fact that one can gain a very big advantage by counting cards holds interesting material for film producers.
The film 21 is probably the best known of these, dealing with precisely this topic, card counting at the blackjack table. A classic based on the true story of an MIT student who managed to rob gambling halls for millions. Blackjack fans will also get their money's worth in the movie Rain Man. Here you can look forward to Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise in top form.