The history of online gambling and casinos in general on the big screen is a long and fascinating one, tracing back to the days when Frank Sinatra and his Mafia friends used to run the Las Vegas Strip all the way up to the present day.
With that being said, for casino fans and movie buffs everywhere, here is the ultimate list of the best casino-based movies.
Bugsy (1991)
One of the shorter running times on the list is Bugsy, which was released in 1991 and features the life and times of the infamous mobster Bugsy Siegel, who was positively instrumental in the founding and original creation of Las Vegas.
After filming had finished, the two main stars, Warren Beatty and Annette Bening, went on to get married and have four children, and even though both went on to have impressive careers afterwards, as Bugsy was nominated for an unprecedented ten Oscars, this film was always the one most associated with the couple.
The Gambler (1974)
At the beginning of 1974, a movie entitled The Gambler was released, and forty years later, a remake was also created with Mark Wahlberg starring as Axel Freed in the latter and the mighty James Caan in the former, who was nominated for an Oscar.
It is interesting to note that at the heart of the main character’s gambling addiction is not the act of risking money itself but, moreover, the associated danger and rush.
Casino Royale (2006)
Martin Campbell directed this legendary casino-based movie, the twenty-first James Bond film ever made, and Daniel Craig’s martini-drinking debut, Casino Royale.
The plot centers around Bond, who is tasked with defeating and murdering a dodgy and dastardly banker working at the Casino Royale by beating him in a game of poker. Casino Royale is widely said to be the first original story showcasing James Bond when, in actual fact, this is the third movie adaption of the first Bond novel of the same name.
Gilda (1946)
The oldest movie on this list, Gilda was released way back in 1946, immediately after World War II, and starred the beautiful Rita Hayworth opposite Glenn Ford.
Essentially, this movie classic follows Ford’s character, who is a small-time, semi-successful gambler, and the capers he becomes embroiled in once he realizes his ex-girlfriend is married to his current boss.
If watching Gilda inspires you to have a little flutter yourself, then instead of heading out to a physical casino in the middle of the city, you can play and relax in your own home by registering with one of the best online casinos out there.
Casino (1995)
Finally, no ultimate list of casino and gambling movies would be complete without the Martin Scorsese classic Casino, which was released in 1995 and has a running time of two hours and fifty-eight minutes.
With a title sequence designed by the legendary Saul Bass (who also designed artwork and titles for other influential movies such as Cape Fear, Psycho, and GoodFellas), Casino is possibly the most iconic gambling-related movie of all time.
