The 15 Best Movies About Gambling and Casinos, Ranked

The film dives into the grey areas of internet betting, with high stakes and higher risks. A modern heist classic, “Ocean’s Eleven” combines high-stakes casino robbery with witty banter and a star-studded cast, including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts. Matt Damon stars in “Rounders” as a reformed gambler who must return to the high-stakes poker tables to help a friend pay off loan sharks. Thanks to the rise of online casinos, anyone can enjoy the thrill of gambling from the comfort of their own home. You can access a wide variety of games and claim bonuses directly from a smartphone or computer. Directed by David Mamet, this heist film follows Lindsay Crouse’s character Dr. Margaret Ford as she meets a criminal figure named Mike Mancuso — played wonderfully by Joe Mantegna.

The Color of Money

While certainly dramatized and not exactly accurate, “Rounders” offered a more realistic portrayal of poker than most movies before it had shown. In the tradition of his earlier gangster film “Goodfellas,” Scorsese brings together Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in a pair of roles that allow them to showcase everything they are capable of. De Niro plays Sam “Ace” Rothstein, a meticulous gambler-turned-casino-owner with a penchant for showmanship, while Pesci plays Nicky Santoro, a ruthless gangster who uses brazen violence to get anything he wants.

Television & Film

With a weakness for betting on sports, no gamble is too big for the larger-than-life Howard, played gamely by Adam Sandler. The audience is along for the ride as they watch Howard succeed in his risks when they pay off and his failures when his gambling addiction overtakes him. Based on a true story, “Molly’s Game” stars Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, who runs the world’s most exclusive high-stakes poker game. The film follows Hall’s character Sydney as he takes Reilly’s character John under his wing and shows him the ropes of professional gambling in Las Vegas.

What Scorsese Film Ranks Highest on IMDb?

In Casino, he’s Ace, a gangster running a mobbed-up casino who’s trying to do things “the right way,” only to be undercut by his hotheaded pal (Joe Pesci) and an ambitious woman (Sharon Stone) he shouldn’t trust. Martin Scorsese’s intricate drama is for you, chronicling Sin City’s evolution from seedy to sanitized over the span of several years. As he did previously with GoodFellas, Scorsese understands how American enterprise works in the criminal underworld — and also how individuals get trampled on along the way. The Color of Money takes place 25 years after Robert Rossen’s 1961 drama, with retired pool hustler “Fast Eddie” (played by Paul Newman) teaching Vincent (played by Tom Cruise) how to finesse the game of life.

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That’s pretty smart if you think about it, with casinos holding as much cash as a bank probably does, but also louder, busier, and easier to slip through undetected. After being robbed by a sore card loser, Bill Denny (played by George Segal) and Charlie Waters (played by Elliott Gould) bond over their mutual, dangerous love of gambling. In Croupier, Mike Hodges gives us a neo-noir take on gambling from the other side of the casino—one in which Jack Manfred (played by Clive Owen) is a dealer rather than a gambler.

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He’s well-known poker guru famed for becoming the first-ever player to scoop 3 WSOP Main Event tournaments in the history of World Series of Poker. Perhaps the most heartwarming story is that of Ben Campbell (played by Jim Sturgess), a gifted student and an aspiring medical doctor. With no way of getting $300k to attend Harvard Medical School, Ben decides to join the card-counting team. Unfortunately, power and greed get the best of the students, putting their plan in jeopardy. Lost to his addiction, Axel finds himself in poor favor with the loan shark he owes bundles to. “The Gambler” was remade in 2014 with Mark Wahlberg in the lead role, but that updated telling was far less well-received by critics and audiences alike, per Rotten Tomatoes.

Best Gambling Movies of All Time

Of course, being a Scorsese and De Niro movie, you know there’s going to be some serious gangster undertones. As it turns out, gambling and gangsters go hand-in-hand, and for this Scorsese film, it’s the Chicago Outfit that serves as the focal crime unit. Ocean’s Eleven is the ultimate heist movie, and it just so happens to take place in a casino!

The Cincinnati Kid (

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best casino-themed films that have become timeless classics, combining action, intriguing plots, and memorable characters. Directed by John Dahl, this is the only film on the list that has gone down as a true cult classic. It received lukewarm responses from critics upon release, and didn’t even double its $12 million budget when playing in theaters throughout the world. The debut film by Paul Thomas Anderson, Hard Eight starts off as a free-wheeling film about a casino pro (Philip Baker Hall) and his new protege (John C. Reilly), who start winning big at the casino. Everything changes when the young craps player falls in love with Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), forcing him to break some of his mentor’s rules to disastrous effects. If you’re feeling lucky and want to see what that luck can get you, put down the FanDuel app and check out the 20 best gambling movies you can watch to satisfy your hunger for more.

Poker Queens

• He owes money to everyone in town, including the mob, bookies, watch salesmen, his own brother-in-law, and basketball legend Kevin Garnett.
• The film received positive reviews from critics for its smart script, consistent tone and unique approach to a seemingly formulaic plot.
• What it does have, though, is Adam Sandler chaotically pawning Kevin Garnett’s NBA Championship Ring to place a six-way parlay on him winning the game.
• The film, as its title suggests, uses gambling and takes a disturbing look at what eventually consumes the human existence.
• The movie addresses the themes of ethics and ambition, and despite its age, is known for high-quality performance.
• The movie is known for its clever storytelling, intricate plot structure, and a series of suspenseful and thought-provoking moments.
• There’s a lot of entertainment to be had when a movie is all about placing bets on horse races, boxing matches, and assorted sports games.
• “Eight Men Out” is a sports drama based on the true story of the 1919 Black Sox scandal caused by the eight players who wanted to make big money from sports bettors.

This comedy-drama follows a group of struggling actors trying to navigate the dating scene in Los Angeles, seeking romantic and social success. “Swingers” captures the spirit of the 1990s and explores themes of friendship, love, and the struggles of young adulthood. Due to its relatable depiction of the era and characters, this movie was called a defining one of its time.

‘The Cincinnati Kid’

Its compelling plot becomes a character study of sorts, and Jack Manfred should by dint of that go down as the single most compelling protagonist to ever be featured in a gambling movie. Steve McQueen stars herein as Eric “The Kid” Stoner, an up-and-coming poker player in New Orleans. It’s set during The Great Depression, and chronicles The Kid’s journey as he challenges a veteran card player in Lancey “The Man” Howard https://crazystar-casino.com/ — played by Edward G. Robinson. The script brims with wit until the final hand is dealt, and the poker players themselves are portrayed wonderfully by each respective performer. Directed by Norman Jewison, many hardcore film fans would cite this as the greatest gambling movie, period. And while director Norman Jewison didn’t top the list with The Cincinnati Kid (1965), the number five spot is nothing to complain about.

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At home, McDermott is being pressured by his girlfriend Jo to call it quits from gambling. “Croupier” also features what is undoubtedly one of the most realistic portrayals of gambling ever put to screen. OnlineCasinos.com even calls the film a convincing depiction of casinos and gambling “down to the smallest details.” As the first James Bond film featuring Daniel Craig, “Casino Royale” made a strong impression. Bond was darker and grittier than ever before, and with that extra edge came an added sense of realism that was lacking from some of the goofier Bond entries, such as those of the Roger Moore era.

5 Card Stud

He, along with his friends, then comes up with a heist plan in order to pay off the debt. The film received positive reviews from critics for its smart script, consistent tone and unique approach to a seemingly formulaic plot. The movie was written and produced by Joseph Walsh in what would wind up being his only feature-film credit in either capacity, though he regularly worked as an actor from the late 1940s into the 1990s.

This process seems to go well at first, but things take a turn for the worst when both men come into contact with a local prostitute and a sketchy casino patron. This criminally underrated movie shows the intense highs and lows of the gambler’s mind, with the audience having a front-row seat. Acting as a realistic portrayal of gambling addiction, Ben Mendelsohn’s performance as Gerry shows the misery and recklessness that comes with his type of dependency. There is a trove of exceptional movies about gambling that match Peaky Blinder’s level of entertainment.

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The movie is very lighthearted and entertaining and features clever plot twists and witty dialogues. One of the most satisfying aspects of it is the power of wit demonstrated by the protagonist. Despite formally moderate success, “A Big Hand for the Little Lady” is considered a charming Western comedy with decent humor and suspense.

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• Billy makes a living lulling people into a false sense of confidence on the court because of him being an unassuming white man before turning into Larry Bird and snatching the money he can.
• Of course, it’s also about British secret intelligence operatives and the undercover workings thereof.
• The showdown unfolds right before your eyes, with lots of table banter and poker bluffing strategies.
• The 2001 version of the 1960 Rat Pack film ends up being a far superior rendition that features a who’s who of Hollywood A-listers.
• California Split follows both men on their wild journey as they look to truly hit the jackpot.
• The movie Croupier takes a rather different take on conventional gambling films, showing another side of the industry.
• It stars Phillip Baker Hall along with a star-studded supporting cast of John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and they all play a meaningful role in the wide-ranging plot.
• With a weakness for betting on sports, no gamble is too big for the larger-than-life Howard, played gamely by Adam Sandler.
• Our journey through the best gambling movies has taken us from the neon lights of Las Vegas to the intense quiet of the poker table, reflecting the broad spectrum of stories that this genre has to offer.

‘Bob le Flambeur’ is widely admired for its innovative, stylistic techniques including the pioneering use of handheld cameras, and has widely influenced many American films on the same subject. Set in 1936, ‘The Sting’ tells the story of a man seeking vengeance for his partner and teams up with a big shot to win a fortune from a criminal banker. The narrative is segregated into chapters with music playing a key role in storytelling. Parts of the film do not hold up well and may seem a bit dated now but the plot is quite cleverly tackled and gives a smart, funny picture into the world of poker games. And what’s more interesting is that we end up rooting for the leads who are apparently criminals and have very few likable qualities. This Wayne Kramer romantic flick is about a sad casino employee who personifies the word “unlucky” for the players around him and is desperate to be with a woman.

An origin story of Las Vegas, Bugsy is principally a study of Bugsy Siegel, a gangster who travels to the desert, convinced he’s seen the mob’s future. Bugsy is less about gambling — although Siegel surely takes some big chances — than it is about Sin City’s messy birth, which proves fascinating, even if the movie’s glitzy, prestige-picture trappings are a bit limiting. Made in the heat of the now-mercifully-cooled World Series of Poker craze, the late Curtis Hanson put an immediate halt to his terrific L.A. Confidential/Wonder Boys/8 Mile/In Her Shoes run with this mostly hackneyed story of a superstar poker player (Eric Bana) with a complicated relationship with his even bigger superstar poker-player father (Robert Duvall). We have seen that story a million times in a million better sports movies — this even has a Big Game at the end — but both Bana and Duvall find some truth in their characters regardless. The best gambling movies offer a perfect blend of suspense, drama, and intensity, providing an unforgettable cinematic experience.

Louis’ fine dining establishment attracts a number of shady characters, including two gangsters whom one of Louis’ chefs is indebted to. Dinner Rush delves into one particularly busy evening at Louis’ restaurant when those two gangsters and a host of other eccentric personalities converge there all at once. Bugsy is not only a cinematic peek into the glitz and glamour seen within the world of gambling, but it’s also a fascinating biopic that’s all about legendary New York mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel.

‘Casino Raiders’ tells a thrilling story of two gambling friends who are up against notorious Japanese gangsters, which would go on to change their lives forever. The film came out at a time when gambling movies were a trend in Hong Kong cinema and it spawned two sequels—’No Risk, No Gain’ and ‘Casino Raiders II’—with different storylines. It’s a slick action thriller that gets all its basic genre elements right, with no narrative hiccups.

As you might expect, there’s a ringleader, Danny Ocean (played by George Clooney), and a team of high risk-takers who want to execute one of the most elaborate casino heists in history. Vegas is probably not the right place to go for your honeymoon, a subtle fact Jack Singer (played by Nicolas Cage) learns the hard way. After burning through his life-savings of $65,000 at the poker table, Jack who’s about to get married to Betsy (Sarah Jessica Parker) is forced to lend his fiancée to the winning opponent and con artist, Tommy Korman (James Caan). If you keep a tab on what’s happening in the world of poker, then Stu Ungar needs no introduction.