Beneath the glitter of flashing lights, free cocktails and euphoric music casinos are engineered to slowly bleed their patrons for cash. For years mathematically inclined minds have tried to turn the tables, using game theory and probability to exploit weaknesses in a rigged system. But in the end, the only way to beat a casino is not to play at all.

Casino is one of the best gangster films ever made and, while it may lack some of the pizzazz of Goodfellas or Mobster, it doesn’t skimp on any of the bleakness that was the Las Vegas scene in the 1980s. The cast is solid, with Robert De Niro giving a powerhouse performance as mobster Lucky Luciano. Sharon Stone’s Ginger McKenna is a delight and Joe Pesci’s Santoro is a frightening presence that adds the necessary drama.

Casinos are designed to manipulate players, encouraging them to spend their money over and over again for the chance of winning big. A casino’s layout, the use of scented oils, and even the color of their lighting all contribute to creating an atmosphere that makes it easy to lose track of time and money.

One of the most effective techniques is the use of booze, which lowers inhibitions and clouds judgment. Alcohol is served nonstop and, when combined with the music and dazzling lights of the gaming floor, helps to create a manufactured state of euphoria that encourages more risk-taking and gambling. A casino can also make it difficult to leave by obscuring exits and designing walkways that are purposefully confusing. Then there are the slot machines, which can be programmed to trigger near-misses that keep gamblers playing and, in many cases, chasing their losses even when they have already lost all of their money.