Casino is a movie with some really disturbing scenes, but the director, Martin Scorsese, was not using violence for style or shock value. His characters and actors were portraying real-life events that had happened to people, and the violence was not out of character. In fact, a lot of the situations in this film actually did happen, including the torture of De Niro’s character, the drug overdose of Stone’s character and the murder of Joe Pesci’s.
Casinos make a lot of money, but the billions they earn are largely due to gambling. Although musical shows, lighted fountains and elaborate hotel themes help draw visitors, casinos really exist for games of chance. Slot machines, roulette, blackjack, poker, craps and keno are the games that drive the profits.
While the obvious benefits of casino gaming are economic, they also provide tax revenues for their home cities. These taxes can help politicians fund essential services and avoid spending cuts in other areas. In some cases, they can even raise the local average wage.
There is another hidden benefit of casinos: security. These establishments invest a lot of time, money and effort into security. Their employees know the rules and routines of every game, so they can quickly spot cheating or stealing. They are trained to look for things like hand signals, a player putting something into their pocket or unusual betting patterns.
Casinos also reward their best players with comps, or free goods and services. These can include meals, free rooms, limo service and show tickets. These incentives encourage frequent players to spend more, which helps their casino’s bottom line.