Casino is an epic crime drama that reveals an intricate web of corruption centered in Las Vegas, with tendrils reaching to politicians, Teamsters unions, the Chicago mob and other Midwest mafia factions. It’s based on the investigative non-fiction work Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the movie’s screenplay with director Martin Scorsese.

A casino is simply a place where gambling is permitted and customers pay to play games of chance and, sometimes skill. A lot of luxuries are added to attract players, including restaurants, free drinks and stage shows. In addition, the casino earns money by charging a fee to patrons that is a percentage of their bets, called the house edge. Slot machines pay out according to random numbers, while tables like blackjack and poker involve a greater degree of strategy and are charged a commission called the rake.

Because large amounts of cash are involved, casino patrons and staff are often tempted to cheat or steal in collusion or independently. This is why casinos spend a lot of time, effort and money on security. Elaborate surveillance systems offer a high-tech eye-in-the-sky, with copious streams of data being fed to Surveillance at all times and the phone constantly ringing with reports from table games employees of suspicious or big-money activity.

Gambling also seems to improve a variety of skills, such as mental talents, math abilities and pattern recognition. However, there is something about the presence of large sums of money that encourages people to try and cheat or scam their way into a jackpot, which can easily wipe out any gains.