As one of the most successful businesses in history, casinos understand human psychology like few others. They combine 2 aspects of people’s lives that they are most excited about – entertainment and the opportunity to win money. This combination is what draws 1000s of people a day to casino games. And of course the free alcoholic drinks and hand pays don’t hurt either.
But unlike any other business, they are not charitable organizations giving away free money. Every game has built-in advantages (in mathematical terms, the house edge) that ensure the casino will always win. This is true even in games that involve an element of skill, such as poker or blackjack, which have different probabilities for winning a hand.
In the modern world, many casinos are choosier about who they allow to gamble in their establishments. They target high rollers who are willing to spend much more than average, sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars. These individuals are given special rooms and personal attention to ensure they enjoy their time at the casino. In addition to this, many casinos also use visual media to create a certain environment and influence their customers’ emotions.
Robert De Niro and Sharon Stone’s performances in Casino are some of the best of all time. But the movie’s real star is the setting – Las Vegas is a city of decadence and opulence. This film shows how casinos grew from mob controlled enterprises to billion dollar corporations that now dominate Sin City.
