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One thing that fans of gangster films may have noticed is that pretty much all of them feature at least one scene set in a casino, and there a number of reasons why these establishments are such a fixture in gangster films. Perhaps the most notable one is the historical connection between organised crime and the gambling industry – as this was traditionally where gangsters would look to as a ‘front’ for their illegal operations, with the most spectacular example of this being Las Vegas. Vegas was created by gangsters both to provide such a legitimate cover, but also as a way of raking in money from gaming – and thus those films which explore this (notably Bugsy and Casino) inevitably feature casino scenes. Equally gangster films which aren’t actually set in Vegas, such as Goodfellas, still explore the links between gangsterism and gambling during the last century. Beyond these historical ties, another key reason why so many gangster films have scenes in casinos is because the curious mixture of risk and glamour that a high class casino provides perfectly captures the qualities that make gangsters oddly attractive to those who live within the law. Indeed it is that mix of glamour and danger that continues to attract people to visit the world’s most beautiful casinos in resorts like Vegas, despite the fact that many casino fans spend most of their time playing at online casino sites like Jackpot City, found at www.jackpotcity.co.uk/online-slots/. Many thought these would lead to the death of land-based casinos but visiting places like Vegas means embracing the dark appeal of organised crime that the resort was built on, as well as the Hollywood magic of gangster films and the Rat Pack of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. The appeal of these elements is so timeless that it is unlikely that people will stop visiting these casinos, or that gangster films will stop using them.
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