Casino, the Martin Scorsese epic about a mob faction that controlled Las Vegas casinos in the 1980s, features Robert DeNiro as Ace Rothstein, a brilliant bookie who marries a con-artist trophy wife and becomes a power player for the Mafia. But he can’t control his own family, and when his gambling empire begins to go bankrupt he must choose between his loyalty to the bosses and his love for his daughter.
Despite their massive revenue streams, the modern casino is not an environment that welcomes cheating or stealing. That’s why they spend a lot of money on security measures. Cameras everywhere provide a high-tech eye-in-the-sky view of the entire casino, and the cameras can be adjusted to focus on suspicious patrons. In addition, table managers and pit bosses have a more focused view of the tables and can spot blatant cheating like palming, marking or switching cards or dice.
Casinos also use other tactics to keep people gambling. They waft scented oils through their ventilation systems, and the smells of delicious food float throughout the halls. This creates a manufactured feeling of bliss that can keep people coming back for more. Many slot machines also use “near-misses” to generate feelings of excitement and keep players spinning the reels.