After the healthy return on Goodfellas, Universal Studios green-lighted Casino as a spiritual sequel. It starred De Niro and Pesci, completing their collaborations begun in Raging Bull. Scorsese’s film is a cynical imagining of a decadent underworld, with a healthy helping of violence, and while the movie posits that the world will never be the same after this kind of criminality disappears, it also shows a nagging doubt about what might fill in its place.
Casino tries to make its point through the eyes of Sam “Ace” Rothstein (De Niro), a mafia don who operates the Tangiers casino in Las Vegas. He is a principled, old-school operator who refuses to help the FBI in the pursuit of his mobster pal Nicky. He’s a man who believes in loyalty and the golden rule, even as he rakes in huge sums through his gambling operation.
There is one certainty in gambling: the house will always win. While some people will beat the odds and walk away with a winning streak, it’s nearly impossible for anyone to beat the house over the long run.
But despite the house’s insurmountable edge, casinos are still appealing places to spend time and money. They create an euphoric experience with dazzling lights, joyful sounds of slot machines, and a manufactured sense of happiness. Plus, they offer a variety of dining and entertainment options and are perfect venues for events and group business. Ultimately, it’s the feeling of excitement that keeps customers coming back and it’s this that marketers should be focusing on in their marketing efforts.