After the success of Goodfellas, Martin Scorsese took a big gamble with Casino. It was his first $100 million-plus film, and it featured a star turn by Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, both of whom were still riding the coattails of their Oscar-winning roles in Raging Bull. Casino’s story of organized crime in the gambling industry, however, didn’t quite resonate with audiences. Its graphic violence (including a popped eyeball and a brutal torture-by-vice sequence that had to be carefully edited for an NC-17 rating) was too shocking, while the film’s morally ambiguous subtext veered off-course.
Casinos are designed to stimulate and enthrall their patrons. Bright, gaudy colors create an inviting atmosphere and the sound of coins clinking against one another gives off a positive vibe. Some casinos even have a euphoric smell that is designed to lure people in and keep them playing.
Many casinos give out free goods and services to players, called comps, in order to encourage them to continue gambling. These items can include anything from free hotel rooms and meals to show tickets and limo service. You can usually get a list of comps from a casino employee or information desk.
Casinos can bring in a lot of money to local economies, especially when they are located in struggling communities. Often, these casinos will employ workers in the area that were previously unemployed, which lowers unemployment rates and increases average wages. In addition, the casinos often bring in visitors from other areas, which boosts tourism and the local economy.