Gambling is such a popular pastime and leisure activity that it was destined to become a recurrent theme in films. And most people can probably rattle off the title of one or two famous movies that touch upon the subject. For some that may be classics such as Casino, The Sting or The Hustler, while modern blockbusters like Ocean’s Eleven and The Hangover may be more recognizable movies for others.
But no matter when the film was made, or what aspect of gambling it was made about, the same question can be asked of every single one of them. How realistic are these portrayals of gambling and the people who engage in it?
That’s a tricky question because most of the experiences about gambling in films are a far cry from the experiences that casual gamblers have at Las Vegas casinos or at the best cash out betting sites.
After all, the Silver Screen is subject to a lot of creative licence when telling or retelling true stories. Some movies exaggerate or romanticise the casino atmosphere, the skills and strategies of the players, or the consequences of winning or losing. Here we examine some of the common myths and misconceptions involved with this complex pastime.
The Myth of Glamour and Ease
Movies like Casino Royale and 21, take viewers into the world of gambling. The former is an interesting one because the iconic scene of James Bond (Daniel Craig) playing a high-stakes game of poker against villain Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) shows two very different sides of gambling realism.
The game of Texas Hold’em is realistic enough, and there are some tense tactics and bluffing that goes on through it, which happens in real games. Other realistic aspects are the risks and rewards depicted, the card handling and dealer interactions.
What’s not so realistic is how easy Bond makes it all look, nor the number of hands that were unfoldable, which were defeated by, of course, the greatest hand that the super spy could have been given.
But of course he made it look easy. It’s an innate part of 007’s character that risks pay off and all with a cool head and style. But nothing about any form of gambling is ever as easy as it is in the movies!
The Money Aspect
The money involved with gambling scenarios in the movies generally involves massive lumps of cash. The MIT students who were recruited by their Maths Tutor (Kevin Spacey) in 21’s card counting plot, weren’t playing for peanuts at the table. The film does depict aspects like ethics and the personal impact of choices, brilliantly.
While professional gamblers do get involved in high-stakes games, again it’s a far cry from the average Joe in the real world, and never as easy as it’s made to look. But still, many films depict gambling as a glamorous and exciting way to make money, impress others, and have endless fun.
How many times has the tired montage of people landing gambling wins with little effort or skill in the movies been remade?
That leads on to another bit of a film trope, that one about winnings funding lavish lifestyles sometimes in rags-to-riches stories. That’s not the way things work. The people who can afford to stake the kind of money that would provide such a lifestyle are already living that kind of life. People don’t turn £100 into millions from gambling.
Lady Luck Is Always On Your Side
Gambling tropes in films? We aren’t done yet. Another common one is portraying gambling as a game of chance where at some point Lady Luck is going to sweep in and shine favourably on the protagonist.
To further push this idea, characters may turn to superstitions, rituals, or lucky charms to influence their chances of winning. A kiss of the dice and then boom, suddenly a big improbable win on the craps table happens, strengthening the idea that gambling is pure luck. It’s not.
Betting involves skill too.
Realism of Emotions
A lot of the reality aspect of how gambling is portrayed in films comes via extremities. Wins (generally because as mentioned above involve huge pots of money) are celebrated with wild abandon.
At the other end of the scale, players who suffer destructive gambling losses and have the bottom fall out of their worlds lead viewers into the darker side of things. Put together, they show that gambling is a great vessel for bringing emotions onto the screen.
The 1998 neo-noir film Croupier starring Clive Owen for example, shows just about every side of gambling as possible. Told through the eyes of a London casino croupier, the film not only shows how the casino industry works but does a great job of showing the behaviour of gamblers in a widescreen view of situations.
Some Betting Films To Check Out
Many other films also portray gambling with the needle of realism at various points on the scale and in various measures, besides the ones mentioned already – The Gambler (2014), Rain Man (1988), Rounders (1998), Inside Game (2019), The Cooler (2003), and Molly’s Game (2017) come to mind.
These films show different aspects of gambling, such as addiction, skill, luck, strategy, and legality. They also show how gambling impacts different people from professional gamblers to hustlers and cheats, but rarely the casual punter.