How Casino Movies Create Crazes for Real Casinos and Gambling
From California Split, to The Croupiers and Casino Royal, the movie industry loves to tackle the casino world topic for its next blockbuster. The gambling world is fascinating, sulfurous, glamorous, intriguing and moody. It’s the world of expensive smoked cigars and bling-bling gold jewels. That makes a lot of people dream about it. Just one tiny chance to enter this world… These movies pushed many viewers to make the step and plunge into this world. For each new movie produced, online casinos and real casinos rub their hands, as they know that the new release will also bring more visits for them. Positive and negative, what impact movies have on the real gambling world?
Skyrocketing Numbers
Over the last two decades, many of the most popular movies to feature a casino, such as Ocean’s 11, Rounders and 21, have enjoyed great success at the box office. According to the American Gaming Association, the rate of new customers signing up to gamble rose by an average of 20 percent in casinos around the world after the release of these films.
According to the same association, there was a 22% increase in new gambling customers after the release of films such as “21” and “The Hangover”. The movies gave viewers an insight into the world of gambling. This includes strategy and the potential excitement that can come with it. As many people, ordinary people, can’t have access to real casinos, they took over online gambling platforms. As a result, online gambling revenue is skyrocketing. In fact, revenue from online gambling has more than tripled in the past decade. This phenomenon is driven by the emergence of popular casino films.
A Huge Profit for Casino Owners
Another survey conducted in the UK showed that moviegoers who watched gambling-themed movies were twice as likely to visit a casino for the first time within a year of the film’s release.
This increase in public interest of casinos has allowed the gambling industry to grow and expand. Since 1998, the total revenue from casinos in the US has more than doubled from roughly $1 trillion to about $2 trillion. Another statistic: the number of casinos has grown from 1,700 in 1998 to 2,800 in 2018.
Psychological Effects an Addiction
The reasons behind this craze are purely psychological. Movie viewers do not comprehend that what is going on in the movies are pure fiction and that it doesn’t depict reality.
The effects of this sudden enthusiasm is even more pronounced in teenagers and college students. They are more prone to develop a gambling addiction. Unfortunately, these types of binge-style movie watching can lead to negative consequences.
Studies have shown that people who watch casino movies for long periods of time are more likely to overestimate their chances of winning. This in turn leads to higher levels of frustration due to losses leading to even more gambling. The issue is further complicated by the fact that most casino movies tend to romanticize gambling and addiction. This glamorization and downplaying of the real dangers of problem gambling can lead viewers to take risks and make decisions that can be damaging to their financial and mental well-being.
Playing is ok, as long as it stays occasional. Or as long as the player is aware of the risks he is taking when visiting an online gaming website or pushing the doors of a real casino.
