Casino is an epic about mafia power and gambling, a three-hour drama that tells a tale of violence and greed. It has an impressive cast headed by Robert De Niro as Sam Rothstein, the casino owner who turns down a chance to become a mobster and instead helps FBI agents take down Nicky Santoro. Joe Pesci adds a sense of menace to his role as the volatile gangster, and Sharon Stone is convincing as the feisty hustler Ginger McKenna.

The movie has plenty of action, but it also focuses on the relationship problems that these players have. It’s a story about betrayal, lies, and corruption, with no space for heroism. That said, the characters do get their comeuppance in the end.

When you walk into a casino, you’re stepping into a psychological maze. Everything about it is designed with precision: every swirl of the carpet, every missing clock, that ringing slot machine jingle. It’s not some conspiracy, it’s a strategy known as “casino psychology.” It’s the silent conversation between architecture and your brain that says: Stay here a little longer.

Casinos have a few built-in advantages that ensure they’ll win in the long run. That’s why they keep you lingering on the floor, with plush seating, ambient lighting, and climate-controlled environments that all work to make you stay for longer. In addition, casinos offer free drinks, which help to make you even more inebriated, and thus more likely to gamble.