There are many things movies get wrong about gambling and casinos. Some movies glorify the casinos because they are portrayed as having a “cool” image and some have a negative view of the casinos. Some movies depict the problems with the casinos in a positive light and this is not always the case.
Casinos portrayed on the big screen
In some movies, the casino’s appearance has been overstated and people assume that they are evil. They are said to be corrupt and this is not always true.
Building these misconceptions may bring a huge negative impact on casinos as their reputation from a business standpoint can result in a critical loss of revenue. With so many negative eyes on you, it’ll be hard for them to even get their customers’ trust.
As a matter of fact, the more you look into the casinos, the sooner you’ll realize that they are there not just because to make a profit and satisfy everyone’s gambling cravings, but to also help other organizations or even charity.
Things that movies get wrong about gambling
Movie and filmmakers are notorious for portraying tons of real-life people, objects, or even stories with a bit of an exaggeration. Sometimes, they go as far as stretching the whole thing just so people could be baited to go and see the movie itself.
Casino games and the whole casino industry itself are among the most common subjects of a completely different representation in lots of movies. We’ve collected some of the most popular portrayals or misrepresentations of gambling on the big screen.
Casinos are not run by the mafia or any shady people
They are absolutely not. Perhaps the most oversaturated misrepresentation of casinos in movies is that they are run by unscrupulous people. The plot typically uses casino establishments as a setting for something sinister and bad.
In reality, it’s quite the contrary and it’s not even close. This is completely not true especially nowadays as modern casinos are ironically used to fund the government and social programs for health, education, and even help promote tourism.
Casinos don’t hire goons to beat you up
There have been many movies where thugs are hired to keep players from counting cards on poker, blackjack, and alike. As ridiculous as it may sound, not a single casino out there are even interested in beating up a gambler just because he is counting cards.
Casino securities are just like your normal security guards. They are honest and hardworking. They are completely not after initiating a fight.
Casinos don’t hire secret employees either
Another misconception that is commonly portrayed in movies about casinos is that they hire people who are primarily tasked to keep players from winning streaks. It is believed that a cooler is responsible for giving bad luck to the rest of the table which is not only impossible but also laughable.
Counting cards will not win you millions of dollars
We’ve already mentioned counting cards several times in this article. What you need to know is that it is not even illegal to do such a thing. However, even more, important to know is that you won’t be winning millions of dollars by just counting alone like what most movies show you.
While it can still give you a shot at winning some, you’re far better playing other casino games as it would be less of a chore to do.
Poker hands in real life are never as outlandish as they can get on screen
This is probably the biggest blunder that filmmakers are always portraying in their movies. In one of the most popular movie franchises about a secret agent, casino players are seen to have a four-way pot with players having two full houses, a flush, and a straight flush.
While this not completely impossible, you’d be surprised to know that the odds of this ever happening are 1 in an 18 trillion!
Conclusion
There are lots of other misrepresentations of gambling and casinos on the big screen.
When a movie depicts a bad about casinos, it can somehow be a good thing as one could see the problems that exist. Regardless, people have to realize that not all casinos are bad. This is why people need to be cautious and mindful about drawing the line between what is real, and what isn’t.