Why Casinos Are So Addictive
When you walk into a casino, you’re usually greeted by bright lights, sounds, and physical design that are all designed to keep you gambling for as long as possible. Whether it’s the sound of bells ringing, a chorus of cheers as someone hits a jackpot, or a blaring music that makes you think it’s daytime outside, casinos use every trick in the book to make it hard to leave.
While musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and lavish hotels all help draw in customers, the real money for a casino is made by games of chance. Slot machines, blackjack, roulette, craps and more provide the billions of dollars in profits that casinos rake in each year. But it’s hard to step away from the tables when your bankroll is bleeding. And that’s why the games in casinos are so addictive.
In a world where violent, profane criminality was in fashion thanks to Quentin Tarantino’s rise, Martin Scorsese’s Casino hit a nerve. Its story of mobster ties to Vegas casinos and its star pairings of De Niro and Joe Pesci set it apart as something more than a straight sequel to Goodfellas. It also positioned itself to take advantage of a new wave of younger viewers who had seen the gangsters’ heyday and were anxious to see what came next.
Casino isn’t the first movie to explore the dark side of gambling, but it is one of the most compelling. Its relentless pacing and taut narration ensure that it never lags or runs out of steam, despite its three-hour length. It’s a true thriller, and even though it features characters who are mired in greed, corruption, and violence, the film manages to leave us feeling somewhat sorry for them.
The first thing a casino does to keep you playing is serve alcohol. The booze lowers inhibitions, clouds judgment, and makes it easier to spend more money. As a result, people gamble harder, lose more, and stay at the tables longer. Those that do win are celebrated, and when others see their celebrations, they’re likely to want to join in on the fun, too.
To a lesser degree, casinos also play on our inability to differentiate between actual cash and the colored discs of the casino’s “chips” that we use to represent it. And that’s why, if you really feel like doubling down on your blackjack hand, you don’t actually have to hand over any more of your own money. Many of the modern casino’s luxuries—including restaurants, free drinks, stage shows and dramatic scenery—are just gimmicks to help keep you gambling. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing: the more you gamble, the more chances you have of winning. And when you do, the rewards are tremendous.
When you walk into a casino, you’re usually greeted by bright lights, sounds, and physical design that are all designed to keep you gambling for as long as possible. Whether it’s the sound of bells ringing, a chorus of cheers as someone hits a jackpot, or a blaring music that makes you think it’s daytime…