3 of the Best Casino Films of All Time

Posted by Harry Kane on Tuesday, June 13, 2017

While offline casinos may be gradually losing their market share to virtual platforms, bricks-and-mortar establishments retain a sense of style and glamour that is hard to ignore.

This has been perfectly captured in films and literature down the years, with some of the highest grossing titles in Box Office history based in iconic casinos across the globe.

In this article, we will look at three of the best casino films of all time, and explore how they captured the mystic of an thriving industry:

1. Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)

Fittingly, we start with the highest grossing casino-inspired film of all-time, with this modern James Bond iteration turning over an impressive £55.6 million back in 2006.

Starring the edgy and relatable Daniel Craig as a more down-to-earth Bond, Casino Royale is a gritty and yet stylish film that provides an authentic insight into a high end casino. The scene where Bond does battle with terrorist banker Le Chiffre is particularly enthralling, as the iconic secret agent must win a high-stakes game of Texas Hold ’em poker to prevent his foe for recouping his money and plotting an escape.

While Bond has historically been known as a baccarat man, the scene has gone down in the franchises folklore as one of its best and most believable gambling interactions of all-time!

2. Casino (Martin Scorsese, 1996)

A classic Scorsese film, this is referred to by many as a loose sequel to hit mobster title Goodfellas. The cast reprise different roles for this movie, however, while Scorsese does a wonderful job of capturing both the glamour of Vegas and its dark, often brutal, underbelly.

One of the best casino films of all-time, this film features on the real-life legend Sam ‘Ace’ Rothstein (Robert De Niro), who is a mob-connected casino operator in the heart of Vegas. His serene existence is soon disrupted, however, leading a narrative of greed, deception and power that ends in one of the most gruesome death scenes in cinema history.

In many ways, this film transcends the casino sector and has become a cult classic that everyone must see!

3. Ocean’s Eleven (Steven Soderbergh, 2001)

This is unarguably the slickest casino film of all time, and much of this owes to a star-studded cast that includes Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Matt Damon (to name but three!)

Focusing on a heist led by Danny Ocean (Clooney), the film mixes humour and glamour to breathtaking effect, while also featuring a truly spectacular ending that has to be seen to be believed.

In addition to the outstanding narrative and cast, the film also features Vegas’ iconic Bellagio Casino, along with the Mirage and the MGM Grand. In fact, the gang plan to scoop a cool £150 million from these venues, beneath the very nose of the ruthless tycoon Terry Benedict (portrayed by Andy Garcia).

This may well be the slickest and most enjoyable casino heist movie ever, and one that has achieved huge Box Office success while spawning two stellar sequels.