From movies and TV shows to books and songs, casinos have prominently featured in pop culture throughout the decades. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous inclusions of casinos in entertainment.
Casinos in Movies
Gambling establishments are older than you may think. The oldest casino in the world, the Casino di Venezia in Venice, opened its doors way back in 1638. Today, people all over the world love to play casino games like baccarat, roulette, and blackjack at both land-based casinos and online live casinos like Casumo. And there is something about the allure of a casino that makes it the perfect setting for many movies.
From old black-and-white classic heist movies like the original Ocean’s Eleven to modern-day comedies like The Hangover and What Happens in Vegas, the casino has made countless appearances on the silver screen. Other notable casino movies include Martin Scorsese’s epic 1995 gangster movie Casino, the modern classic 21 that is based on a true story of a math professor training a group of students to count cards in Las Vegas, and the 2003 film The Cooler, which involves a man whose luck is so bad that casinos hire him to stand at tables to affect punters on hot streaks. There are countless other casino films, such as Rounders, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and Steven Soderbergh’s immensely popular Ocean’s movies.
Casinos in TV Shows
One striking admission from the above casino movies is 007 himself, James Bond. 2006’s Casino Royale, which saw Daniel Craig take up the mantel of Bond in a reimagination of the popular spy series of movies, is surely one of the greatest casino films ever made. And, of course, the casino setting has been used in many other Bond movies over the years. But few people know that the first time Bond’s Casino Royale appeared on screen was not in cinemas but on television. The 1954 live television adaptation of Casino Royale was the first episode in the American anthology series Climax! It starred Barry Nelson as the very first actor to play Bond on screen.
Casinos have featured in plenty of TV shows over the years. Do you remember the Friends episode when the troupe went to Vegas to visit Joey, who was working at a casino? How about The Simpsons episode where Homer takes Ned Flanders on a trip to Sin City? There have also been popular television shows set in casinos, such as the 2000s series Las Vegas, which revolved around a former CIA agent working at a casino, and the reality TV show The Casino that took a look behind the scenes of casino operations.
Casinos in Books
Many of the most popular casino movies, such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, 21, and Casino Royale, began life in literature. Casinos have made many appearances in novels over the years, including Dostoyevsky’s The Gambler and Graham Greene’s Loser Takes All.
Also, numerous books discuss the principles of casino games and offer advice on how to beat the house and true stories like Straight Flush, which tells how a group of frat boys began one of the biggest online poker sites.
Casinos in Popular Music
Casinos have also permeated popular music. Over the years, there have been countless songs about casinos, gambling, and playing games like poker and roulette. Notable songs include Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler, Ray Charles’ Blackjack, and the Rolling Stones’ Casino Boogie. But perhaps the most famous casino song of all is by the King himself, Elvis Presley. Viva Las Vegas!
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