The movie Casino is Martin Scorsese’s most violent yet, with scenes of torture (using a vice), drug overdoses and murder. But it’s also one of his most interesting, as he lays bare the Mafia’s long history with Las Vegas. The film’s first hour plays like a documentary, with narration by real-life mobster Sam “Ace” Rothstein (Robert De Niro) and others. The story is true, and explains how the mob skimmed millions from the casinos of Las Vegas.

As with any large business, a casino’s primary goal is to make money. That means that a casino must encourage gamblers to spend as much money as possible for the chance of winning big. Casinos do this by creating an environment that is fun and exciting, while making sure that they offer a fair game.

Casinos attract many tourists who spend money on hotels, restaurants and other local services. This helps to improve the overall economy of a city, bringing down unemployment rates and raising average wages in the immediate neighborhood. Local residents may even gain employment at a casino, which can increase their spending on other goods and services.