Casino – The Vegas Underbelly
Casino, the classic Martin Scorsese movie that depicts the seedy underbelly of Vegas, is a thrilling thriller that keeps on going until its final scenes. The acting is superb, especially from Robert De Niro as the ruthless mobster Don Americo and Sharon Stone as the blonde hustler Ginger McKenna. Joe Pesci adds menace to his Santoro character and rounds out a cast that’s simply top-notch. Casino is one of the most violent movies ever made, but it’s never gratuitous. Every scene is necessary to portray the real-life corruption and avarice that run rampant in Las Vegas.
Casinos are places where gambling activities are the primary focus of patrons’ time and attention. In addition to slot machines, many casinos feature stage shows and dramatic scenery to add entertainment value. But even less luxurious locations that house gambling activities would be considered a casino.
Slots are a staple of casino floor games and account for 71% of a casino’s profits. To attract players, manufacturers often decorate their machines with themes and symbols familiar to a particular demographic. They also use branded characters from films, video games and sports to help the machine stand out in a crowd.
A casino’s profitability depends on the percentage of its customers who place high bets. These are known as good players and a casino may reward them with comps such as free hotel rooms, meals or tickets to a show. It’s important for casinos to monitor the loyalty of these key audience segments and develop strategies to keep them coming back.