After the success of Goodfellas, Martin Scorsese was able to make Casino, which stars Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in what is arguably their finest performance. Rather than being a film about mob violence, it’s an examination of the rigged nature of casinos and the way they manipulate players.

The math works against the gamblers and Casino is about how they can’t beat the odds – or the profits. It’s a fascinating look at how casinos are designed to keep people gambling even when they are losing.

Casinos have a variety of methods they use to lure in players, such as wafting scented oils through their ventilation systems, dazzling lights and the sound of slot machines. They also design their games to create a feeling of excitement, including using bright colors like red to stimulate the senses and make players lose track of time.

Most of the profit in a casino comes from high rollers. These players gamble with tens of thousands of dollars at a time. This is why casinos are willing to give them extravagant comps such as free spectacular entertainment and luxury suites. In fact, most table games are easier to win than slots because the odds are much better for the player. Casinos are also able to track the winnings and losses of each patron and can limit their losses by offering a limited amount of money on a specific game. As a result, it’s very rare for a casino to be out of pocket.