For many people, Casino is one of the most definitive depictions of Sin City. It lays bare the city’s past ties with organized crime, opulence, neon signs, and gambling in all its forms. Unlike Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls and Basic Instinct, Casino digs into the core of Vegas culture. Sharon Stone’s performance as the blonde hustler Ginger spikes the movie’s energy in a way that builds upon and inverts her star turn in Basic Instinct. Joe Pesci is a menacing presence as the mobster Santoro. The combination of these performers and Scorsese’s directing prowess make Casino an essential watch.

As a movie, it’s shocking in many ways – and not just because of the violence. Scenes such as the torture of a character by using a vice, the attempted murder of De Niro with a car bomb, and even a murder involving a buried body all play out in Casino, but they don’t feel overly stylized or gratuitous. This is part of what makes the film work so well, and why it’s regarded as one of the best movies ever made.

Casino is also a movie about the changing nature of Vegas. In the final scenes of the movie, over images of the Tangiers being torn down, Ace laments how the town “will never be the same.” The movie is both a celebration of the old Vegas and a skepticism of what will replace it.

In an era of data-driven marketing, casino operators need to look beyond the basics and understand what’s driving their audience. Demographic information alone is not enough to drive business, especially in the highly competitive iGaming industry. That’s why a comprehensive casino strategy should include events and group business.