10 Best Casino Movies of All Time

Balancing law school, a relationship, and debts owed to loan sharks isn’t easy. In “Rounders,” John Dahl takes us to New York’s private poker clubs where friends Mike McDermott and Worm need to secure enough money to repay a debt Worm accumulated in prison. Mike, who had quit playing poker, picks up the cards again and is drawn back into the gambling underworld. The film features many humorous segments, including a memorable finger-chopping scene, and is well worth a watch for a funny movie where casino games feature heavily. Instead of listing them all, here are the names of some of the best-known movies of all time that feature one or more casino scenes that every casino player and movie buff should know about. Like most gambling films, this one includes a big win for the protagonists.

Win it All

Gambling movies are so remarkably tense for viewers because the stakes of casino games are already inherently high. Perhaps it’s not surprising then that filmmakers have returned to the well as inspiration for thrillers, dramas, and action-packed adventures over the years. Chow would return to Macao again in 2023’s One More Chance in which he played against type by taking on the role of a deadbeat gambler.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (

Four men – Doug, Alan, Stu, and Phil – go to Las Vegas for a stag night, awakening the next morning with the worst hangovers of their lives. While they can’t remember anything from the night before, the hangovers will then remember the trip to Las Vegas forever. This film was so popular a series of sequels came out in the following years.

The 20 Greatest Gambling Movies Ever Made

We at GamblingCollective take betting seriously, and as fun as it is we understand that it can cause a lot of problems. That’s why we urge all our readers to only bet with the money they’re willing to lose. Remember to bet responsibly and as dull as it is, consider the possibility of losing prior to placing each bet. Whether you go for the original 1974 version of The Gambler or you decide to watch the contemporary remake, this cautionary tale deserves a place on your to-watch list. Casino revolves around Sam “Ace” Rothstein, an ex-gangster managing a great casino in Vegas. Everything is going fine until an ambitious woman named Ginger joins the game.

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The article was written and developed by a Senior Business Project Manager of Freeslotshub. On the website, he provided a wide selection of games with popular film heroes on the page with movie slots that are available online with no downloading for users all over the world. The movie is much more than a story about attempting to cheat the system. Rain Man is one of the movies you must watch because it tells us a lot about the importance of family, of differences in mental astuteness, and how easily one can cross the boundaries of what is legal. Impressive ambition and bravura performances from an outstanding cast help Casino pay off in spite of a familiar narrative that may strike some viewers as a safe bet for director Martin Scorsese.

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• The two leads develop a legitimate friendship, too, one which mirrors the chemistry of the actors themselves.
• Ironically, production took place in less than a week and entirely in New York, as Studio City had not completed construction.
• They compete for the best odds, but sometimes it’s not the right answer.
• This isn’t one of Scorsese’s best movies — and as we said earlier, The Hustler is the better overall film — but it’s solid and despairing.
• Manfred finds himself drawn to a woman who is a gambler at his table – a serious transgression of the casino’s rules for employees.
• The highest-grossing film of a year that also included Die Hard, Coming to America, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit– Rain Man  coasts off its feel-good charms, particularly the blackjack scene between Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.
• Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman gave the performances of their careers portraying brothers Charlie and Raymond in this emotionally charged drama.

Let’s delve into these noteworthy mentions that deserve their moment in the spotlight. We are a free service that gives you access to casino reviews, a wide array of bonuses, gambling guides & blog posts. We have financial deals with the operators we present, but that does not affect the results of our reviews. As long as you follow the expert’s advice, you will be having a healthy and safe gambling experience. CasinoAlpha’s leadership in the industry is meant to make a change for a better future. In the Army of the Dead, you get to see Las Vegas in a different light, in a thrilling setting just as dangerous as a game of Russian Roulette.

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Ben’s college professor, Mickey Rosa, persuades him and a group of other mathematically advanced students to join a special team. He has spent the magazine’s large cash advance on narcotics, which he indulges in liberally as he transforms his assignment into a search for the American Dream. Before they know it, the two friends are wrapped in a world of gamblers, dealers, druggies, and corrupt cops. A great buddy film—and Robert Altman’s most underrated classic—California Split stars Elliot Gould and George Segal, both performing incredible feats of stoic face-acting. Part of the fun lies in trying to figure out if Segal hit it big or lost thousands, because his worrying expression never changes.

Casino Jack (

And since they’re so much fun, you’ll definitely want to see as many of these movies as you can this year. Directed by Mike Hodges and starring Clive Owen, “Croupier” is a stylish and atmospheric thriller set in the world of London’s casinos. Owen plays Jack Manfred, a struggling writer who takes a job as a croupier to make ends meet.

HIGH ROLLER: THE STU UNGAR STORY (

Based on a true story but given the Hollywood treatment, the plot follows several MIT students who are too clever for their own good when the descend on Las Vegas as a crack team of expert card counters. Things begin to fall apart as the team fractures and casino security catches wind of their scheme. But he is about to spend it again when he has a medical emergency and is rushed to a hospital. The movie ends, but although it depicts a happy ending, we need to be reminded that gambling addiction and problem gambling ought to be treated seriously. We wholeheartedly recommend watching Money, Explained in its entirety as it’s a highly educative if somewhat mass culture series.

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Although Vegas isn’t the main character in the movie, it emerges as a very essential supporting one that moves the plot along. Swingers follows Mike Peters (masterfully played by Jon Favreau), a struggling comedian who moved to Los Angeles in search of stardom and is still angry over Michelle, his girlfriend of six years, leaving him six months earlier. In an effort to lift Mike out of his despair, his friend tries to reintegrate him into society.

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Since debuting in Western cinema in the 1942 French flick, Gambling Hell, the gaming hub has not looked back, having welcomed such iconic characters as James Bond and Indiana Jones. No, you can have the same fun when you try the Polish online casino sites that offer a variety of games. This classic film from Martin Scorsese features an enticing duo in Robert de Niro and Joe Pesci. We get to see the glitz and glam, as well as a cruel, seedy underside that’s packed with mobsters. Based on a book by Nicholas Pileggi, “Casino” offers a thrilling crime drama that’s sure to draw you in. We’ll kick things off with “Croupier,” an intriguing movie starring Clive Owen as Jack Manfred, an aspiring, down-on-his-luck writer.

A ‘hard eight’ in craps means throwing a double four with the dice, called so due to the perceived ‘difficulty’ in rolling a double. As well as the fictional Poseidon, we also see the real-life ARIA Resort and Casino, and the HyperX Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor, which stands in for another fictional location, the Valorant Pro-Am Vegas Showdown. Without further ado, here’s our Top 5 – click the links below to find out more about these movies.

In Atlantic City, the undefeated heavyweight champion, Lincoln Tyler, is defending his championship at a new casino, and Cage investigates the game’s seedy underbelly. Gary Sinise plays his best friend, and both actors play their roles well. With its sharp humor, playful banter, and thrilling poker sequences, “Maverick” offers a refreshing take on the classic casino movie genre. As Maverick bluffs, blusters, and charms his way to the final table, viewers are treated to a rollicking good time that is sure to leave them smiling. The feelings of a gambling addict are portrayed perfectly, as Toback himself has had gambling addictions in the past and tries to convey his feeling through the movie.

Final Thoughts: 10 Gambling Movies Currently On Netflix

Honeymoon in Vegas follows Jack Singer (Cage), who promised to never get married to his mother when she was dying. However, he still proposes to his long-term girlfriend, Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) and they fly to Las Vegas to get married, where Jack loses Betsy in a high-stakes poker game that has been rigged. 21 follows Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) who will need to have $300,000 for the program in order to get admitted into Harvard School of Medicine. He and five other MIT students received training to be professionals at card counting in blackjack as a result, and they later used Las Vegas casinos to earn millions of dollars. In any event, Eddie Garrett, a gambling addict, is tasked to stash the money for an acquaintance – if that’s what you can call a local thug who is rummaging through your kitchen one morning – who is heading into prison.

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The movie was released in October 2010, and it stars Kevin Spacey, Pepper Barry, and Lovitz John. The biographical movie combines comedy and crime, where the well-known American actor Kevin Spacey embodies the role of (Jack Abramoff) the prominent politician and an influential member of the republican party. Jack achieved quick success by plotting many intrigues and conspiracies before he was exposed and removed from his position.

Directed by Steven Soderbergh and featuring an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts, “Ocean’s Eleven” is a stylish and slick heist film set in the glamorous casinos of Las Vegas. Clooney stars as Danny Ocean, a charismatic ex-con who recruits a team of skilled criminals https://true-fortune.us/login/ to pull off an ambitious robbery of three of the biggest casinos in Vegas. Gambling is the setting rather than the content of this story and it’s all the better for it with the casino giving the film its heart and its edge while the engaging story of those who try and make money from it plays out.

However, Axel seems discontent with his safe existence, and gambling increasingly consumes him. The film illustrates how gambling addiction can affect those around you as Axel ends up borrowing money from friends and, eventually, loan sharks. It addresses the ethical issues of gambling, its potential as a broader societal problem, and how difficult it is to escape addiction.

Directed by David Mamet, this heist film follows Lindsay Crouse’s character Dr. Margaret Ford as she meets a criminal figure named Mike Mancuso — played wonderfully by Joe Mantegna. She’s a psychiatrist who recently finished a book on obsessive-compulsive disorder, and one of her patients seeks help from her regarding his involvement with and debt owed to the aforementioned crime lord. This is also notable among fans today for being the first film in its franchise to feature Daniel Craig as the titular character. He would reprise the role four times, the most recent of which — No Time to Die (2021) by Cari Joji Fukunaga — marked his last appearance in the series.

Daniel Craig’s debut as James Bond redefined the character, bringing a gritty realism to the franchise. The film’s gripping central scene takes place at Montenegro’s luxurious Casino Royale, where Bond must outplay the sinister Le Chiffre in a nerve-racking game of Texas Hold’em poker. In this article, we explore the top 10 best casino movies of all time, providing you with cinematic gems that captivate both gambling aficionados and film lovers alike. We used the iMDB rating as the main criteria for differentiation because it happened to reflect our perspective on the listed Netflix casino movies. However, you should keep in mind that iMDB ratings are based on viewer input, not expert opinion, so take them with a grain of salt.

• The best gambling movies offer a perfect blend of suspense, drama, and intensity, providing an unforgettable cinematic experience.
• From star-studded casts to award-winning stories, casino movies have it all.
• “Rounders,” directed by John Dahl and starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, is a gripping drama that explores the underground world of high-stakes poker.
• Gambling is an integral part of each story’s unfolding, whether through the gamblers’ pursuit of fortune, the excitement of outwitting adversaries, or the psychological battles they wage against themselves.
• Jack Manfred is a writer who takes a croupier job just to make ends meet.
• But it’s a still a movie that I can guarantee you I would never ever go past if skipping channels and lucking into a classic rerun on TMC, as I’ve done many times.
• The hilarious movie features a group of friends who decide to spend a night out in Las Vegas at a bachelor’s party.

While most gambling-based movies are about the player, this one is unique since it is about a blackjack dealer. Jack Manfred is a writer who takes a croupier job just to make ends meet. He breaks casino policy, getting involved with a fellow employee despite having a girlfriend. The scene where Jack deals to his boss is one that lives on as one of the best in any blackjack movie.

Embarking on a hazardous and devastating financial journey, Garrett begins to gamble the money, never really caring about how much is in the bag but taking money out of the bag in increments – usually $500. As you can expect, his gambling habit forces him to repeatedly come to the duffel bag oblivious of the consequences that may befall him and his family once the criminal who tasked him with safekeeping comes out of prison. Although there is nothing illegal in what the students and their professor are going to do, the air is heavy with tension. Campbell quickly finds out that by counting cards he can win hundreds of thousands of dollars – enough to pursue his medical studies and not have to worry about the money coming in. He agrees reluctantly to join the team and displaces the former leader, Fisher, who adds even more tension. After losing even more money, the mobsters eventually assault Ratner at his store, but he is all ready for them this time and traps them in the security room.

If the answer is yes, Ocean’s Eleven is definitely one of the gambling movies you must see. McDermott decides to stop gambling and focus on getting his college degree. But his best friend, a poker player named Worm, needs McDermott’s gift to help him pay off a dangerous debt. The people and events he encounters at a big casino inspire him – and add up to one of the industry’s top must-see casino movies. Movies about gambling have been popular since the very beginning of cinematography. Casinos are glamorous settings for meetings between superspies and supervillains, and they symbolise a wildcard that draws ordinary people to test their luck.

Thanks to Martin Scorsese’s direction, plus an award-winning turn from Tom Cruise, The Color of Money is proof that not all sequels have to be scams, even when they are, in fact, about scams. Paul Schrader makes stern, austere and existential movies about stern, austere and existential people. The Card Counter is less about cards and more about grief, trauma and faith, and it delivers those themes through the dark dazzling eyes of Oscar Isaac. You take a risk every time you buy a ticket at the theater, or queue up a movie from your couch. There’s always a risk when it comes to picking a movie, but there are ways of limiting that risk; like, say, reading a list of the best movies in the genre.

The city’s popularity among filmmakers is exemplified by Cultural Affairs Bureau data cited in a South China Morning Post report, which shows that roughly 110 film applications are made in the SAR each year. Most of these come from Hong Kong productions, although mainland, Taiwanese and Japanese features can also be found in the mix – along with movies from further afield. Macao has long been a magnet for international movies, thanks to its exotic mix of cultures, world-class casinos and bags of atmosphere.

James Toback based the screenplay on his own gambling habits, which might explain why he’s been hit with so many allegations for problematic behavior. Sean Connery lays on the charm at the Craps table in Diamonds Are Forever. But if we’re going to include a Bond film (and how could we not?), it’s gotta be Casino Royale, which features a poker game in which Bond goes head to head with a terrifying villain, Le Chiffre. He doesn’t even seem interested in casinos, which is weird since the movie is called Casino .

As Sydney teaches John the tricks of the trade, their mentor-protege relationship is tested by the arrival of Clementine, a troubled waitress played by Paltrow. With its moody atmosphere, complex characters, and unexpected twists, “Hard Eight” offers a compelling glimpse into the dark side of casino life. As Mike and Worm navigate the seedy underbelly of New York City’s poker scene, they encounter colorful characters, dangerous adversaries, and moral dilemmas. With its sharp dialogue, intense poker scenes, and themes of redemption and loyalty, “Rounders” remains a cult classic among poker fans. Handicapping is a serious business in Vegas and the high-stakes nature of the world may surprise some but the themes will be achingly familiar to anyone who’s placed a sports bet before. Arguably the best film on the list, this is a clever piece of filmmaking that somehow makes a massive horse racing con not only believable but edge of the seat exciting.

Upon its release, the film received a mixed response, with some critics praising it for its tongue-in-cheek self-awareness, and others criticising the project as a shallow cash grab. Scorsese, however, defended the project, stating in a Los Angeles Times report that “a short film is even tougher in a way…It has to be contained in and of itself.” Make your own judgement by watching it above. About a dozen actors have taken on the role across movies and television and captured Lex Luthor’s arrogance and villainy against the Man of Tomorrow. These films give further insight into the complex, often tense relationship between people and their wagering habits.

• However, you should keep in mind that iMDB ratings are based on viewer input, not expert opinion, so take them with a grain of salt.
• In a unique dramatic role for Adam Sandler, “Uncut Gems” has him starring as a slick New York jeweler with a gambling addiction.
• If there is one film that both transports viewers to Las Vegas and reminds them of Casino, it’s Bugsy.
• Jacques Dutronc plays the role of a charming man with a severe gambling addiction.
• There are countless movies that are centred entirely around casino gambling or have entire scenes dedicated to playing slots, blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat.
• Tepper looks into the wallet he found and realizes he already has a lottery ticket.
• He gets robbed at gunpoint, loses friends, and has very little to show for it besides a cool story.

This just inspires him to push harder and keep it going, and while this might turn out to be a disaster in a movie like, say, Uncut Gems, here, it’s just a wacky ’80s comedy. Let It Ride still gets a lot of comedic mileage out of Dreyfuss’s mania and goes a long way on some very fun supporting performances from Teri Garr, Jennifer Tilly, and David Johansen. But let’s just say they don’t show this one at Gamblers Anonymous meetings. Slots designed after popular movies feature several symbols, animations, images and soundtracks that depict the theme and characters of these films. Casino Royale is the first James Bond novel to have been adapted to the screen, and it rekindles Bond’s love for women.

In “Uncut Gems,” Adam Sandler takes on a non-comedic role to embody a character consumed by the thrill of gambling. Sandler portrays a frenzied jewelry store owner whose gambling addiction puts him in a financially difficult situation. “Molly’s Game,” one of the best movies about poker (in our humble opinion), is a compelling journey into the clandestine world of high-stakes poker, showcasing the rush and pitfalls of hosting the world’s most exhilarating casino game.

New York becomes a manic monstrosity full of bookies, sad sacks, and noise; the entire city seems to reflect Sandler’s down-on-his-luck, out-of-options plunger. The ’90s were the Wild West of fantasy films, rife with experimentation before the genre found its way to Middle Earth. If you’re looking for thrillers, these underrated features on Netflix are guaranteed to deliver the tension you seek. And it was of course a massive success in theaters, raking in $469.3 million on a $35 million budget. It chronicles the tale of Phil, Alan, Stu, and Doug as they travel to Las Vegas for Doug’s bachelor party.