After the smash hit Goodfellas, director Martin Scorsese reteamed with star Robert De Niro for Casino, a darker, more stylized look at organized crime and the casino industry. At a time when violent, profane criminality was back in vogue thanks to Quentin Tarantino, the movie made a healthy return and proved that Scorsese had not lost his touch as a filmmaker.

Modern casinos are like indoor amusement parks for adults, with most of the entertainment (and profits for the owners) coming from gambling games. Craps, blackjack, roulette, slots, baccarat and poker are the games that bring in billions of dollars each year.

While some gambling games have an element of skill, most are pure chance. That means that it is very hard for a person to beat the casino in the long run, although professional card counters do exist. This is why casinos spend a lot of money on security.

In order to keep patrons gambling for longer periods of time, casinos encourage them with complimentary goods and services called comps. These include free hotel rooms, dinners, tickets to shows and limo service for big bettors. In addition, some machines have a special variant called video poker where players can use some skill in making their decisions.

Guests also can expect bright and sometimes gaudy floor and wall coverings that are meant to stimulate the senses and help them lose track of time. Most casinos do not display clocks because it is believed that it will distract patrons from focusing on their gambling.