Gambling entertainment is very popular among gamblers. Due to access to the Internet, the number of active players has increased many times over. A visitor with any preferences can place a bet, ranging from classic slots to game shows in the live casino section. Online platforms represent the most modern round in the development of ground-based halls. The latter are often flashed in various films and TV shows. Many films tell the stories of players or owners of the gambling business. Actors are often associated with roles in films where the casino plays an important role. It is about such cases that I would like to talk about.
The casino is a fertile ground for screenwriters. There are a huge number of stories related to casino robbery, illegal betting, and scams that have occurred in the real world. To embody such stories on the screen can be considered a good choice. The casino always maintains an amazing atmosphere, so many celebrities of the first magnitude starred in such films.
Robert DeNiro
This actor is a true Hollywood legend. He can be considered a long-liver in his acting career, which he began in 1963 and continues to act in films. If we talk about the main works of the actor related to the casino and bets, then they include:
- “Taxi driver”;
- “Good guys”;
- “Casino”;
- “Godfather”.
Robert has been repeatedly awarded for an excellent game such awards as the Oscar and the Golden Globe. The most famous film in which the actor starred was the film “Casino”. Sam Rothstein became his character. He is the operator of a casino that works in the interests of the mafia. In this film, it was possible to combine two main areas in which the actor worked – the mafia and the casino.
The film became a cult film thanks to the competent camera work, high-quality acting, and a large budget. It was released on wide screens in 1996. The Casino is still one of the most popular movies on streaming services in the gambling section. In this film, Robert’s partners are such stars as Joe Pesci and Al Pacino. The director’s chair was taken by Martin Scorsese. The film turned out to be spectacular, but at the same time, it has enough dramatic moments.
Brad Pitt
Among the stars who continue to get the main roles in Hollywood blockbusters is the famous Brad Pitt. His portfolio includes dozens of iconic films that have left their mark on world cinema. He is nowhere near De Niro’s longest career record, but Pitt has also associated with casinos thanks to his well-chosen roles. First of all, it is worth noting the Ocean’s Friends trilogy. Although the role of Dani Ocean went to Robert Clooney, Pitt’s character Rusty Cole turned out to be no less charismatic and bright. Brad Pitt’s performance has won awards including a Golden Globe and an Oscar. Among the latest films with his participation, one can note “Kill ‘Em Softly”, in which Pitt played the “fixer” sent to restore order after the robbery of an underground casino.
Julia Roberts
This actress can be safely called one of the most famous representatives of Hollywood. Her acting has become a source of inspiration for many young stars. Julia Roberts played in the films “Ocean’s Eleven and Twelve” along with Pitt, Clooney, Cassel, and other famous actors. It is worth noting that the actress did not act in the final part of the trilogy, which caused a lot of negative reactions from the audience and admirers of her acting talent. In the film, she played the wife of the protagonist, and she also had to reincarnate as … Julia Roberts, playing herself during the robbery of a casino.
The actress noted the excellent game of George Clooney, who benefited a lot from participating in this picture. It is worth noting that the action of the first and third films of the trilogy takes place in Las Vegas. Hollywood is relatively close to Sin City, so many famous actors often appear in the lobby of famous casinos. In order not to have to waste time on a trip, players can always use the Casino Classic website and place a bet at any convenient time. The casino’s catalog contains only the best slot machines, as well as table and card games from leading providers.
Mark Wahlberg
The career of this actor in many ways resembles the path of Brad Pitt. Mark starred in many action films and adventure films. He also has several casino and betting stories to his credit, among which the film “Gambler”, remains the most significant. The picture talks about an obsessive client of an underground casino. Luck is often on the side of the protagonist, but he does not know how to use it correctly. As a result, the next trip to the casino ends with a huge debt to its owner and the moneylender, who sets a high percentage.
Mark’s character must act quickly, as the crime boss he owes is already beginning to take an interest in his lover and call his mother. The film shows the other side of gambling entertainment. It can be called sobering because often beginners have no idea how difficult it is to stop under the influence of excitement.
Ray Liotta
As with De Niro, Ray Liotta often starred in films about casinos and the mafia. Among such films are Goodfellas, Phoenix, and Revolver, in which critics noted the quality of the actor’s performance. Video game fans also know that Ray gave his voice to characters like Tommy Vercetti from Grand Theft Auto Vice City.
In the movie Phoenix, the actor plays a superstitious police officer who owes a huge amount due to uncontrolled gambling. As a result, the hero faces a difficult choice. He needs to kill the informer or be punished. The policeman finds an alternative way out – to rob the moneylender. In “Revolver” the plot revolves around the criminal boss Mach, who was humiliated in a casino. She builds a plan that will allow her not only to get even with the one who humiliated her but also to ruin him.
Kevin Spacey
The winner of the highest awards and one of the brightest actors in Hollywood also has two films related to the casino in his track record. These are “21” and “Casino Jack”. The last picture raises the question of the dangers of power and wealth, and the hero Kevin Spacey finds himself in a very difficult situation, out of which a get-rich-quick scheme with the help of a casino allows you to get out. As you might expect, the scheme doesn’t work, and the successful lawyer’s world begins to crumble.
The film “21” tells a story based on real events. The actor got the role of a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who decided not to be content with just the salary of a teacher. He finds like-minded students who are ready to pull off a card-counting scheme in Las Vegas. The events are dramatized, but in general, the story remains quite realistic. The students did win while betting at the card table and managed to take millions of dollars as a jackpot.
Actors who often bet in casinos
Gambling entertainment is popular among players of various professions. A lot of Hollywood actors periodically visit the casino, which becomes known thanks to various tabloids. Most often, big losses are given to publicity. Actors are usually silent about their winnings, which does not mean at all that there are no experienced gamblers among Hollywood stars.
Separately, it is worth noting the fact that the actors hide the details of their private lives. To do this, they use online casinos as a place where they spend their time. The high level of confidentiality excludes the possibility of tracking the real name and surname of the gambler. Therefore, in reality, the number of hardcore players in Hollywood is an order of magnitude higher.
Ben Affleck
This is one of the gamblers in Hollywood, who regularly visits gambling establishments in Las Vegas. You can meet him far from all casinos since some halls banned the star forever. The reason is that Ben Affleck was seen counting cards, which is against the rules. Despite the fame of the actor, the administration of Hard Rock Casino no longer wants to see him among their clients.
Affleck confirms his reputation as a gambler with solid losses. The actor lost the largest amount in 2001. Then he left 400,000 dollars in Vegas, which were lost by the actor in two evenings spent at the poker tables. However, Affleck has several solid winnings to his credit. In 2004, he earned $350,000 by taking one of the prizes during a prestigious poker tournament. This competition was remembered for the fact that Tobey Maguire acted as his opponent, and there were many world-class poker stars at the table.
Matt Damon
Interestingly, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are best friends off-stage, which is why they can often be seen together at the card tables of the best Vegas establishments. The paparazzi note that Damon is even a riskier player than Affleck. At the same time, luck is more often on his side. Damon is more prudent and bets on relatively small amounts. This allows him to control the gameplay. The preferences of colleagues in the acting department and friends of Affleck and Damon largely coincide. They rarely play roulette and spend all their time at the poker tables.
Tobey Maguire
If we talk about the acting career of Tobey Maguire, then the films about Spider-Man should be called the highest-grossing ones. Offstage, he is known as a very successful poker player. His career began in 2004 when he was at the height of his popularity. Tobey Maguire owes much of his success at the poker table to the presence of a professional mentor, which is Canadian Daniel Negreanu, who has won several major poker tournaments.
Gamblers who follow the World Series of Poker know that Maguire has played the tournament several times. He was playing at the Hollywood Park Casino when he hit the $300,000 jackpot. Along with some other stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Affleck, he participated in tournaments organized by Molly Bloom.
Charlie Sheen
Among the avid players, Charlie Sheen remains one of the most controversial representatives. The actor has problems with addiction to drugs and alcohol, which he tried several times to get rid of. Shin also often appears at the card tables. He usually bets on poker. If we talk about the maximum losses of an actor, then this is about 1 million dollars, which is a large amount for any representative of the acting profession.
Betting in the casino allows you to take a break from everyday life, and spend time in the company of like-minded people in the hope of a big win. All this makes gambling interesting for a wide audience, and famous Hollywood actors are no exception.
