Top 5 Must-Watch Casino Movies
Lina Almans
09 May 2023
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When it comes to the glitz and glamour of casinos, Hollywood has produced many films that showcase the excitement, thrill, and drama that comes with gambling. Here are our top 5 picks for the best movies about casinos.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

If you’re in the mood for something a bit more light-hearted, check out “Ocean’s Eleven”. Danny Ocean is a sharp-minded individual capable of planning the heist of the century. He plans to rob three Las Vegas casinos at once for $160 million, and assembles a team of professionals to help bypass the security system and execute an incredible plan. The team of lively con artists carefully prepares for the job, but things don’t go as planned at the appointed hour.
Molly’s Game (2017)

Molly’s Game is a thrilling movie centered around the world of high-stakes poker. The film follows the determined Molly Bloom, who finds herself organizing and successfully managing an underground casino due to difficult circumstances in her life. Molly was once a promising skier, but an injury and a stroke of bad luck put an end to her athletic career. With no sense of purpose, Molly took on a temporary job that eventually led her to create her own underground casino.
21 (2008)

Ben Campbell is an ambitious young man dreaming of Harvard, but he needs an incredible sum of $300,000 to make it happen. To raise the money, Ben agrees to join a secret society of MIT students who count cards in blackjack and thus beat casinos, after being offered the opportunity by one of his professors. The students have to come up with a clever plan in which the professor himself becomes the bargaining chip.
Rounders (1998)

One of the best films about Texas Hold’em, like other casino and gambling movies, is based on a criminal plot. Mike, a law school student, has dedicated his life to playing cards, but after losing a large sum of money, he promises his girlfriend to give up his gambling addiction. Problems in the life of his best friend Lester, who needs money, force him to break his promise. Mike decides to gather the entry fee and go to Las Vegas for the World Series of Poker with big prizes.
The Gambler (2014)

The remake of the 1974 film tells the story of Jim Bennett, a college professor and hardcore gambler who finds himself in deep debt to loan sharks. One of his creditors, named Neville, offers him a deal that will free him from his debt. Massive losses and huge debts force him to make a risky deal. But even here, he decides to play against the rules.
Interesting Facts
- Molly’s Game is based on the real-life story of Molly Bloom, who personally selected the actors for the movie and oversaw the script and filming. Despite her conviction for running illegal gambling operations, the Canadian government allowed Molly to enter the country for a two-day period to attend the premiere of the movie in Toronto.
- “21” is based on the true story of the MIT Blackjack Team, a group of students who used card-counting techniques to win millions of dollars from casinos. The real-life team inspired a bestselling book that the film is based on.