Casino is an atypical movie for Martin Scorsese. While his other mafia movies like Goodfellas and Raging Bull focus on three key characters, Casino focuses on the bigger picture. The movie lays bare the intricate web of corruption that was centered in Las Vegas, with tendrils reaching out to politicians and the Teamsters unions. It also explains how huge gambling corporations took over the city.
Whenever you walk into the casino, you can expect to be bombarded with music, lights, and people. It’s all designed to make you feel excited and happy, so you keep coming back for more. Here are some of the tricks casinos use to lure you in:
The smell of alcohol and cigarettes are wafted through ventilation systems, lowering inhibitions and clouding judgment. This is called the “euphoric atmosphere,” and it’s used to keep you gambling longer. Casinos are intentionally designed to be labyrinthine, with no clear paths leading from one gaming section to the exit. Curving paths and strategically placed gaming sections are meant to draw you in and tempt you to play a round of poker or throw a few dollars into a slot machine when you were just on your way to the restroom or the exit.
The sunk cost fallacy is on full display in casinos, as you may continue to gamble even after losing your initial investment. Thankfully, many casinos are aware of this and try to take the sting out of big losses by offering rewards programs that give you free meals or rooms when you spend enough money.