Gambling, in its many forms from dice to blackjack, has been a part of human civilization for millennia. Casinos are a wildly popular form of gambling that generate lots of revenue but lose a lot too. The reason is simple: it’s a highly competitive business. A successful casino can make money, but it won’t last long if someone comes along with something newer, bigger or closer. Casinos compete with each other as well as non-gambling resorts, on-line gaming and private gambling.

Moreover, casinos have to contend with an inherent mathematical disadvantage that will eventually grind them down to unprofitability. The house edge on games like roulette, baccarat, craps and slot machines is built into the software; it may not show up as an explicit number on the screen but is always there, lurking in the background like a fifth ace. Casinos do everything they can to hide this math and to keep players playing longer. The lights, sounds and layout are designed to create an immersive environment and distract gamblers from the odds. They also lack clocks and windows to further blur the passage of time. Casinos offer free drinks to encourage players to stay and play. Drinking inebriates a player and impairs judgment, which only increases the odds of losing.

Martin Scorsese’s Casino is a fascinating history lesson about Vegas that digs deeper than other Las Vegas movies. While they depict a life of glamour and opulence, they don’t shy away from the mob’s past connections with the city and the way huge gambling corporations have taken over the desert oasis.