The gambling industry is one of the biggest in the world, generating billions of pounds every year. Considering the enormity of the industry, it should come as no surprise that it has found its way into the mainstream media with thousands of books, games and films being produced that all feature gambling in one way or another. Some only briefly mention gambling whilst others are solely based on the activity.
These films here feature casino games which you’re able to play on sites such as Paddy Power.
Casino Royale
Many people know James Bond as a world class Secret Service agent, however, many aren’t aware of his gambling talents. This is shown in the 2006 film ‘Casino Royale’ as 007 is given the task of bankrupting terrorist financier Le Chiffre in a high-stake poker game – which he succeeds in.
The decision for the secret service agent to play poker instead of his favoured baccarat game was met with scepticism and disapproval by a few fans, but others ended up accepting the decision agreeing that it suited the theme of the movie and was the best choice for the general audience who would be more familiar with the rules.
Rounders
Whilst poker was only a part of the ‘Casino Royale’ James Bond film, the entirety of the ‘Rounders’ film was about the popular casino game.
The film, full of famous faces, is about a young gambler who returns to the underground world of high-stakes poker when he is reunited with his childhood friend. Whilst many poker films exaggerate the elements of poker games to make it more interesting to an audience, this isn’t the case with Rounders.
The realistic poker game scenes have gained praise from professional poker players over the years, with many current professionals crediting the film as the reason they became interested in poker. Even though the film wasn’t a commercial success, it has become a cult classic over the years.
21
When people about the best way to improve their odds at a casino, the first thing many people think of is card counting. The idea behind the strategy is that you keep count of the cards played to determine whether the next hand is likely to give an advantage to the player or dealer.
In 2008, ‘21’ was released which was inspired by the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team. Although the film has issues with pacing, it provides good insight into how card counting works, and the lengths people went to in order to maximise their winnings.
Vegas Vacation
If you’re looking for a gambling film which is not as serious, then you can’t go wrong with Vegas Vacation.
The film follows the adventures of the Griswold family as they embark upon a series of misadventures. Although the cast visit different locations around the city, there are a few scenes where they’re playing casino games like blackjack and keno.
It might not be a cinematic masterpiece, but it does provide a few laughs for a gambling film.
