Imagine you’re in a twinkly, noisy casino. You’re fueled by alcohol and ready to roll the dice. But before you start, you must set a fixed amount of money that you’re willing to lose forever—and then stick to it. If you don’t, you will quickly run out of cash and the casino will win every time. This is why casinos hire mathematicians and computer programmers to study the house edge and variance of their games.
These experts are also responsible for the mystical aromas that waft through their ventilation systems. Combined with flashing lights and joyful sounds, these smells create a manufactured state of bliss that makes people feel good—and keep them gambling. Casinos also use a variety of psychological tricks to manipulate their customers, including dissociating the actual spending of cash from the feeling of winning. For example, many casinos replace the dollar bills used at table games with colorful discs that represent real currency and allow players to make bigger bets. They may also offer rewards programs that suck people back into the casino with promises of free meals and hotel stays if they play enough. This tactic takes advantage of the sunk cost fallacy, which is when people follow their losses with even bigger ones.
Despite the fact that Casino depicts the corruption, violence, and avarice of real-life casino life, it’s still an entertaining movie to watch. The cast is outstanding, with De Niro giving a career-defining performance and Sharon Stone stealing the show as Ginger McKenna. Joe Pesci plays the sleazy Santoro, adding an air of menace that’s hard to resist.