It is also probably the most violent movie involving casinos as the story does not shy away from the Mob related behaviour in Las Vegas at the time. The MIT gang from 21 can be happy they never card counted at one of Frank Rosenthal’s casinos. In short, Netflix has a bunch of awesome movies all about casinos that cater to different tastes. Whether you like action-packed heists, tense poker games, or stories about interesting characters, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Axel Freed, played by James Caan, appears successful with a good job and a generally stable life.
We've previously looked at the best poker movies and best casino movies, but with Christmas & New Year drawing closer, we know many gambling fans will be settling down to watch a movie or two during the winter break. Featuring Clive Owen in the title role, Croupier is one of the most remarkable and distinctive casino films ever made. Most movies set in casinos usually present the gambling world from the gambler’s point of view. Trying to keep up with all of the twists in Lucky Number Slevin is almost as difficult as picking a winner in a horse race but just as entertaining. Nothing captures the stress of a gambling addiction more than Uncut Gems, the Adam Sandler-starring film about a New York City jewelry dealer who can't stop himself from chasing the big win. He owes money to everyone in town, including the mob, bookies, watch salesmen, his own brother-in-law, and basketball legend Kevin Garnett.
There is, of course, the obligatory love story sub-plot and it loses its way a bit towards the end but it’s well worth two hours of your time. Forget the suspense and drama that most gambling movies on Netflix seem to focus so heavily on. Win It All is a refreshing change with the flick being a comedy more so than the gutting plot of Uncut Gems or even the tantalizing seductive action-packed plot of Casino Royale. No, Win It All is a comedy at its heart, and although some of the situations do get serious quickly, they have a happy resolution – and it may just be the type of gambling movie you want to see for the nonce. The main character of Axel's weakness for gambling ranges from betting on basketball to hot shot casino games, showing that the protagonist is entrenched too deep in his addiction to think logically.
The movie is of course a highly romanticized version of actual events, but it’s captivating and definitely one of the top gambling movies on Netflix to watch on any day. Then you can pretend you are in your own movie playing against hardened pros. Movies about gambling take audiences on exhilarating journeys with characters who face overwhelming odds, yet navigate through with luck, strategy, and skill. Gambling is an integral part of each story's unfolding, whether through the gamblers' pursuit of fortune, the excitement of outwitting adversaries, or the psychological battles they wage against themselves. The immersive plots and stunning visuals of these casino movies cause viewers to become fully invested in the characters and their gripping stories.
He suspects his newly discovered older brother, who has autism and lives in a mental institution. Cruise’s character breaks his brother out and uses his savant-level math skills to win big in Las Vegas. Go watch some movies in the meantime.For more information see /r/ModCoord. A 25-year gap between two films in the same franchise usually means it's a cash-grab, but Paul Newman's return as Fast Eddie is anything but.
Although much of the film is set outside of Macao’s casinos, in locations such as Hac Sa Beach and Kiang Wu Hospital, the film’s MMA matches do take place in the Grand Lisboa. Towards the end of the film, there is also a heartfelt goodbye scene featuring the exterior of the casino resort as the backdrop. Much of the action takes place in Studio City, which is fitting, given that the project was intended to be a promotional short for the integrated https://true-fortune.us/ resort, which opened the same year in October. Ironically, production took place in less than a week and entirely in New York, as Studio City had not completed construction. As a result, a combination of sets and CGI are used to substitute for the casino. While much of the action is based in England, English’s mission does take him to Macao where he visits the Grand Lisboa casino and tries his hand at a short-lived game of roulette.
Fun to watch and an Oscar darling, “The Sting” is about playing to win. Another great documentary series on Netflix, Untold takes a good hard look at some of the biggest scandals in sports – from match-fixing to doping and performance-enhancing substances. The episode we have in mind has to do with the story of Tim Donaghy, an NBA referee who was caught red-handed betting on his own games, and seriously putting the integrity of the game at risk. The movie follows the story of a young player, Jermaine Slagter, who ends up addicted to gambling and raking in steady gambling debts.
However, Axel seems discontent with his safe existence, and gambling increasingly consumes him. The film illustrates how gambling addiction can affect those around you as Axel ends up borrowing money from friends and, eventually, loan sharks. It addresses the ethical issues of gambling, its potential as a broader societal problem, and how difficult it is to escape addiction.
Our expert Jacek Michalski takes us through the eleven movies with realistic casino scenes. If you put all of the James Bond films in order of best to worst received, “Casino Royale” would come in at No. 4, according to Rotten Tomatoes. This beloved franchise gave us a mature, reinvented Bond with the introduction of Daniel Craig and his excellent poker face. He goes up against Mads Mikkelsen’s character, Le Chiffre, a formidable player who finances terrorist organizations. It’s easily one of the top casino movies you could watch, packed with action and thrills. While the casino isn’t the main theme of this movie, it still deserves a place on our list of top casino movies.
Suspenseful movies about gambling are a unique blend of excitement and drama. From the glitzy charm of Las Vegas to nerve-racking poker games, these films transport us to a universe where luck can change in the blink of an eye. Matt Damon stars as the poker-playing Mike McDermott, who falls in love with a Russian gambling baron and must beat him at high-stakes games to pay his college fees. If you are a fan of old classics and gambling movies, then you were waiting for this film’s name to appear on the list. In Robert Altman’s nightmarish drama-comedy, the great Elliott Gould and George Segal invite us to a world of night casinos, booze, and loose relationships. California Spirit is a full-fledged close-up not only of gaming as a way of life but also of the American culture of money and luck.
Directed by Robert Rossen and starring Paul Newman as “Fast Eddie” Felson, this is of course the film that sparked Scorsese and crew to create The Color of Money. And although that film was well-acclaimed in itself, The Hustler (1961) has almost gone down as a classic. What’s worth noting off the bat about this project is its utilization of interior monologues to emulate the neo-noir or detective style of film that screenwriter Paul Mayersburg and director Mike Hodges drew inspiration from. But Croupier (1998) also provides great insight into the ins and outs of casino work, with technical jargon around every corner of the British gambling house in which the film is set.
Featuring some of the best action of the series, Casino Royale takes Bond back to his roots, letting fans rediscover the original Bond. Unlike earlier films, Casino Royale shows Bond's affection for women, and his human side. Daniel Craig's performance as James Bond in Casino Royale was nothing short of brilliant. Not only does he have the most impressive beach body in the history of the Bond franchise, but he also has the most dramatic chops. He carries the entire movie by himself through the first hour, with Judi Dench as his only real peer. The movie follows the usual Bond formula, revolving around the spies and the occasional high-speed chase, but it's also set in the beautiful locations of Madagascar, Miami, and the Bahamas.
As it is based on a true story, Casino easily earns a place on the famous casino movies list. Thanks largely to Scorsese’s strong directing, this classic has contributed a great deal of popularity to the glamorous and mysterious Las Vegas lifestyle. Few gambling movies portray gambling less as a talent and more as a coping mechanism, like Paul Schrader’s 2021 crime drama The Card Counter. Oscar Issac plays card counting wizard William Tell who teaches himself how to count cards in a military prison to practice the patience and restraint from succumbing to the darker impulses that landed him in prison in the first place.
If the answer is yes, Ocean’s Eleven is definitely one of the gambling movies you must see. McDermott decides to stop gambling and focus on getting his college degree. But his best friend, a poker player named Worm, needs McDermott’s gift to help him pay off a dangerous debt. The people and events he encounters at a big casino inspire him – and add up to one of the industry’s top must-see casino movies. Movies about gambling have been popular since the very beginning of cinematography. Casinos are glamorous settings for meetings between superspies and supervillains, and they symbolise a wildcard that draws ordinary people to test their luck.
By age 10, he won millions thrice playing card games and the World Series of Poker. Michael Imperioli plays Stu Ungar, plus various cameos from prominent figures in sports and poker, including Vince Van Patten, Al Bernstein, and Andy Glazer. As in the best films about gambling and casino, famous saying is, ‘See, life is a people game too.’ The rating is 6/10 on IMDb and 55% on Rotten Tomatoes.
In Croupier, which translates to "dealer," Clive Owen plays a struggling novelist who gets a job at the casino. Using the position as research for a new book, he finds himself getting pulled deeper and deeper into gambling-based crime. In addition to the casinos, the film crew also shot at the Macao Science Museum, Rua da Felicidade, Rua da Tercena and even a fictionalised version of Iong’s Magic Shop. Although the production went out of its way to film mostly on location in the city, many of the interior scenes, including the ones featuring Taipa Market and the Science Centre, were filmed on sound stages in the UK. The movie was released a few months before Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 Series of Poker main event. With new strict regulations on social distancing, Polish people shifted to working and playing from home.
A 'hard eight' in craps means throwing a double four with the dice, called so due to the perceived 'difficulty' in rolling a double. As well as the fictional Poseidon, we also see the real-life ARIA Resort and Casino, and the HyperX Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor, which stands in for another fictional location, the Valorant Pro-Am Vegas Showdown. Without further ado, here's our Top 5 - click the links below to find out more about these movies.
Scott and his team have to steal a humongous amount of money from a casino safe before the US government bombs Vegas to smithereens. Unfortunately, Eddie Garrett – a compulsive gambler – didn’t follow this advice and found himself biting more than he could chew. Truth is he shouldn’t have dipped into Michael’s – the scary gangster – bag of money. Be sure to check out our beginner gambler’s guide to understand why it’s imperative to gamble within your financial means. Then you’ve come to the right place; we’ve got action heroes, martial arts, exploitation and movies generally with a huge body count.
Which makes sense, as lead actors Paul Newman and Robert Redford had previously worked with director George Roy Hill on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969). The performers share a tangible chemistry with the filmmaker, and that dynamic pops out through the screen of every featured frame. Its story of two professional grifters who team up to con a mob boss and avenge the death of their mutual friend.
This criminally underrated movie shows the intense highs and lows of the gambler's mind, with the audience having a front-row seat. Acting as a realistic portrayal of gambling addiction, Ben Mendelsohn's performance as Gerry shows the misery and recklessness that comes with his type of dependency. Whether you’re into intense poker games or dramatic heists, our collection has something for everyone. Plus, we’ve thrown in a few international films that are real hidden gems.
However, the documentary needs to be taken with a grain of salt, because it mostly portrays events as told by Donaghy. Ben Campbell, a maths major at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology wants to study medicine but he cannot afford the tuition fee. He is then recruited by one of his professors Micky Rosa, who asks him to solve the Monty Hall Problem, which Campbell does. The movie (Jack’s Casino) is just another version of this wonderful fairy tale, and it reflects the rampant corruption in some parties and the backstage of American politics. After a decade of success, the situation suddenly turned, and her bank balances were frozen, and she found herself required to appear before the American court.
In “Uncut Gems,” Adam Sandler takes on a non-comedic role to embody a character consumed by the thrill of gambling. Sandler portrays a frenzied jewelry store owner whose gambling addiction puts him in a financially difficult situation. “Molly’s Game,” one of the best movies about poker (in our humble opinion), is a compelling journey into the clandestine world of high-stakes poker, showcasing the rush and pitfalls of hosting the world’s most exhilarating casino game.
Led by an unorthodox math professor, the team navigates the high-pressure environment of blackjack, dealing with the extravagant lifestyle, the excitement of big money, and the watchful eye of casino security. So, grab your popcorn and prepare for a cinematic journey through the casino world’s glitz, glamour, and intrigue. Whether you’re a fan of thrilling heists, high-stakes poker games, or gritty crime dramas, these movies will inspire and entertain you as you play in your favorite non Gamstop casinos. With a weakness for betting on sports, no gamble is too big for the larger-than-life Howard, played gamely by Adam Sandler.
21 is inspired by the real-life experiences of a talented MIT math student who pursues the goal of conquering casino blackjack to score a big win. When you get Terry Gilliam to direct a biographical gambling movie based on a Hunter S. Thompson novel, it’s more than clear the result won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But if you are open to a mix of scary, gross, hilarious, and bizarre elements, you’ll definitely love it. His team includes Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Elliot Gould, and Andy Garcia. The plot of California Split revolves around a gambler, Charlie, who befriends a fellow gambler named Bill. Their pranks, pick-ups, games, and misadventures ultimately lead them to a big win in Reno.
There are many trends affecting the Polish gambling scene and the creation of video games from movies is just an example. However, there is a depiction of a casino Hollywood experience listed above. From professional poker players to the mafia that once ruled the casinos, this list of top gambling movies showcases the very best films ever made about this thrilling and somewhat distant world of gambling. It offers insights into the psychology behind gambling and the people involved, a topic that fascinates many. Unforgettable gambling films offer electrifying narratives and memorable characters, reflecting the allure and rich complexity of the casino world. These cinematic achievements are just a few examples of the great films that transport viewers into the world of gambling.
As Jack becomes increasingly embroiled in the world of high-stakes gambling, he finds himself drawn into a web of deceit, danger, and betrayal. If you have not watched some of these yet, roll under your blanket and get ready for a thrilling ride full of gambling, betting, and drama. Blackjack remains one of the few “skill” games at the casino and one where given the right conditions and the ability to fly under the radar of the watching staff a skilled team can still beat the house. But as you will find out from the film this doesn’t come without some serious consequences. The shady world of professional tipsters is pretty well laid bare here, but it also conveys the tension, adrenaline rush and mentally bruising nature of sports betting with real heart.
Upon its release, the film received a mixed response, with some critics praising it for its tongue-in-cheek self-awareness, and others criticising the project as a shallow cash grab. Scorsese, however, defended the project, stating in a Los Angeles Times report that “a short film is even tougher in a way…It has to be contained in and of itself.” Make your own judgement by watching it above. About a dozen actors have taken on the role across movies and television and captured Lex Luthor’s arrogance and villainy against the Man of Tomorrow. These films give further insight into the complex, often tense relationship between people and their wagering habits.