Casino – A gambling establishment that features various games of chance such as slots, roulette, baccarat and blackjack. Some casinos also feature a variety of other enjoyable activities and entertainment such as live music, shows and sporting events. Casinos may be found in a number of different settings including hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, and standalone facilities. Some casinos specialize in particular types of gambling, such as horse racing or slot machines.
A casino’s primary goal is to encourage gamblers to spend their money on risky bets. It does this by offering a number of incentives to players, such as comps. These are free goods or services offered to loyal customers such as hotel rooms, meals and tickets to shows. Some casinos even offer limo service and airline tickets to high-spending gamblers.
Although the etymology of the word “casino” suggests an Italian villa or summer house, its modern meaning is more associated with the glamorous world of Las Vegas. Martin Scorsese’s 1995 film Casino is set in Sin City and about Sin City, combining bravura set pieces with the director’s trademark blend of documentary urgency and artful showmanship. The movie’s key stars, Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci, deliver impeccable performances.
The movie’s early sequences evoke the cobbled streets and seedy rooms of a classic noir, but it is Sharon Stone who spikes Casino’s energy toward the end of its first act. Her Ginger exults in her ability to seduce and control men (“Smart hustlers like you could keep a guy awake for two or three days,” Ace says). She is at once a femme fatale and a perpetual motion machine.