Casinos are places where people gather to gamble on games of chance and try their luck. They usually feature flashy decor, upbeat music and plenty of dining and entertainment options. They also provide a rush of excitement and the possibility of winning big.

In addition to the aforementioned luxuries, casinos often have elaborate surveillance systems that are designed to keep an eye on every table, window and doorway. They can be adjusted to focus on certain suspicious patrons by security workers in a separate room filled with banks of security monitors. Casinos also employ mathematicians and computer programmers who specialize in gaming analysis. These experts look at data like house edges and variance to determine the optimal payouts for each game and how much cash reserves a casino should carry.

Something about gambling seems to encourage people to cheat, steal or scam their way into a jackpot. That’s why casinos spend a large amount of time, effort and money on security. Elaborate surveillance systems offer a high-tech “eye in the sky” that allows security personnel to watch everything from blatant palming or marking of cards and dice to subtle betting patterns that may signal cheating.

Unlike other epic crime dramas, Casino doesn’t hold back in its depiction of corruption and greed. It’s an unflinching account of the mafia-centered empire that ran Vegas, with tendrils reaching into politicians, the Teamsters union and even the Midwest mafia based out of Kansas City.