Gambling is a fun way to spend time with friends and test your luck at the tables. But it’s also a powerful mental workout. When you gamble, you force your brain to focus and problem-solve, a process that can strengthen it just like lifting weights at the gym.
To get the most out of gambling, you need to have a clear strategy and be willing to lose some money. Casinos offer a variety of incentives to their players, including free spectacular entertainment and transportation and elegant living quarters for the biggest bettors. But even smaller bettors receive in-game bonuses such as reduced-fare transportation, free drinks and food while gambling and cash prizes.
The casino experience is designed to make you keep spending. The lights, music and physical design all work together to create an environment that is both welcoming and hard to step away from. Every aspect of the casino is carefully planned, from the location of the bathrooms to the placement of gaming tables and machines. In addition, booze is served nonstop to lower inhibitions and cloud judgment, and winning streaks are loudly celebrated, encouraging other players to try their hand at the wheel or cards.
This isn’t to say that Casino doesn’t contain its fair share of violence and degradation, including a torture-by-vice sequence with a popped eyeball and a sound-designed baseball bat beating. But Scorsese judiciously balances the thrill of the movie with an awareness of the moral and ethical issues involved in institutional systems of grift.