A casino is a large gambling pavilion that offers people a safe environment in which to play games of chance and try to win money. These gaming palaces can be found in many cities and attract gamblers from all over the world. While some may think of casinos as seedy backroom gambling parlors, modern ones are regulated and offer many types of games. They also provide entertainment through live performances and television broadcasts. There are some risks associated with gambling, however, and the house always has an edge over the player.

Martin Scorsese has made a lot of mob films, but Casino dials up the gangster lifestyle to 11. It follows Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) as he funnels mob cash out of his Tangiers hotel in Vegas for his bosses back east. His only problem is that he’s falling in love with high-priced call girl Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone).

The story of Casino revolves around how characters make bad decisions and are eventually brought down by their own greed. Unlike the more melodramatic Goodfellas, there is no clear hero in Casino, and the characters’ paths of corruption are much more twisted and unpredictable. James Woods is a welcome addition to the cast, and his performance adds a layer of nuance that is missing from other Scorsese films.

The film is also notable for laying bare the complex web of corruption in Las Vegas, with tendrils reaching out to politicians, Teamsters unions, and Chicago mafia factions. This is a real-life story, and it makes Casino feel more like a documentary than most other gangster movies.