Gambling has been around for decades and only increases its momentum with time, just like a good old bottle of Scotch. In 2021, the overall world gambling market value hit a record of $72.3 billion; by 2027, the market is expected to top the 130 billion dollar mark. Looking at tv commercials, online marketing, tv movies and even while checking what Elon Musk is up to on Twitter, gambling is everywhere we seek, peek and look.
Combining 2 of our most renowned loves, gambling has been taken to Hollywood on multiple occasions, as online and land-based casinos are featured as the backdrop of big blockbusters that glamorize gambling or show you the perils of what a gambling addiction could do.
As we scramble online to seek the best online casino promotions, we also researched some of the best Hollywood flicks, where gambling are casinos is the feature. With the bad weather looming in, how about we look into casinos that were featured and which ones to visit and make your Hollywood dream come true?
Let’s go to Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada, is regarded as the mecca of gambling. You can visit ample land-based casinos on the Sunset Strip, with many serving as the playground for some of the biggest blockbusters. Let’s talk about some memorable ones we loved and hope to visit and gamble with one day.
Ocean’s Eleven – MGM Grand, Bellagio and Mirage
Ocean’s Eleven is the movie that joined Andy Garcia, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Julia Roberts to team up and plan a big heist in Vegas. The goal of the theft is to rob some of the biggest land-based gambling sites in Vegas, that include the MGM Grand Casinos, the Bellagio and the Mirage. All 3 casinos have slot machines, a barrage of table games and even tournaments to get you spinning and winnings. Players who prefer a more intimate setting can enjoy unique games, contests, shows and a barrage of good food and drink to accompany their gambling.
Rupaul’s Drag Race Live Las Vegas – Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
RuPaul’s Drag Race goes to Las Vegas as some of the biggest stars in Drag Race history take center stage at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. If you find yourself somewhere in Vegas and seek a tropical twist to your gambling, the Flamingo will just do the trick. Promising fun and entertainment for every age group, the gambling paradise offers Spa treatments, football events, shows, gourmet restaurants, and over 220 slot machines and table games. Apart from this, honoring the underlying flamingo theme, the hotel hosts a wildlife habitat that is home to exotic birds, with pink flamingos making your experience even more authentic. Gamble away your nights and brush the previous night out at the Beach Club …welcome to the Flamingo ladies and gents!
Casino – The Landmark and The Riviera Hotel and Casinos
‘Casino’ is a 1995 blockbuster brought to us by Hollywood movie giant Martin Scorsese. The plot revolves around Sam Ace Rothstein (Robert De Niro) as he is entrusted un running the Tangiers Casino in Vegas. With both the Landmark and The Riviera serving as backdrops to the movie, Sam navigates daily life as a demanding casino boss, dealing with Mafia entanglements, dangers, crime, and crumbling relationships in his life.
The Landmark was located in Winchester, Nevada, along the east side of the Vegas Strip, with the resort previously offering a 31-floor tower to visiting gambling enthusiasts. Back in the day, the Landmark was a gambling hub offering slots, table games, nightlife, and entertainment. Due to the lack of funding for a new over, The Landmark seized operation in the 90s and was demolished.
On a more positive note, The Riviera Hotel was still proud until 2010. The site was part of a chain of casinos that operated through Vegas and other gambling sites across the US. After filing for bankruptcy in 2010, the area was closed and demolished for good in 2015. Yet, the memories of De Niro’s impeccable acting still roam the demolished sites to date.
The Hangover Trilogy – Caesars Palace
Many iconic movies can thank Ceasars Palace for serving as the primary location of filming. Rain Man and Iron Man come to mind, but The Hangover is the epic one. We have all been there at some point in our lives, drinking the night away with our friends, marking the one last memorable get-together before grown-up life takes over. This is the premise of The Hangover movies, as 4 friends head to Vegas (Caesars Palace) for a bachelor party of a lifetime.
Located between The Bellagio and The Mirage, the upscale Caesars Palace is a luxury casino known for extravagance, great gambling tables, and meeting your music idols. Known to attract high rollers, the casinos also host many themed restaurants to cater to wealthy foreign gamblers. Until July 2016, the Cesars hosted 3,960 hotel rooms and various live music venues. Hitting up the Cesars, you can enjoy Baccarat, Blackjack, Card Games and more while also being serenaded by the likes of Rod Steward, Mariah Carey, Liza Minelli, Harry Belafonte, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Tina Turner and many other music legends.
If you are a fan of gambling and also love Hollywood blockbusters, there are many more titles for your to watch and casinos to visit. The Gambler (2014) depicts the rise and fall of a Hollywood professor as he gambles away his life savings and life relationships. Molly’s Game (2017) highlights the real-life events of Molly Bloom, an ex Olympic Skier who turns rogue while running an underground poker operation doomed by the Russian Mafia. What Happens in Vegas (2008) is a comedy flick that follows two young adults getting married and enjoying Vegas’s gambling life.
You may decide on your next trip after so many months locked down and unable to travel. Well, dear reader, Vegas could be accessible for you, hitting 2 birds with 1 stone. Blackjack, Poker, Baccarat, and the endless sound of winning combos landing on slot machines. What more could you ask for in life? An accompanying cocktail, maybe?
