The Top Movies to Watch About Gambling

Plenty of movies about gambling have hit the silver screen over the years. A lot of them have been about casino and card gaming, and less so about sports wagering. But it is interesting to see how gambling is portrayed in movies because it’s usually in a negative light.

Gambling is often used as a vessel for a down-and-out story, leading to financial struggles and stresses within a protagonist’s personal life. In that regard, it is cinematic gold because it naturally gives opportunities for emotions like joy and anger to come out in the characters.

The first thing anyone thinks of with movies is Hollywood, but games like Teen Patti, and Andar Bahar have made their appearances in Indian movies as well. Here we have a look at some of the most popular movies about gambling.

California Split

Going back to the 1970s, California Split explores friendship in the world of gambling. The main characters go in search of one big payday, which is an exploration of addiction to betting and how people can falsely believe they are on a hot winning streak. There’s a very powerful ending to the movie.

Mankatha

Starring Ajith Kumar, this 2011 crime thriller has a look at Vinayak, a cop that has been placed on suspension. He slides onto the other side of the law when he helps a crew steal cricket betting money. The action ramps up as the tension between the thieves increases as they are unable to decide on a fair split of the cash.

The Gambler

The original 1974 version of this famous gambling film is a lot grittier than the 2014 remake starring Mark Wahlberg. The latter focused more on gambling, taking away some of the traits of the main character James Tolback from the original. The original is the one to roll with for character exploration, as the film looks at a unique aspect, where the protagonist gets a self-destructive rush from losing.

Uncut Gems

If you want to watch a gambling movie that will have you on the edge of your seat because of the tension, check out Uncut Gems. The 2019 film starring Adam Sandler, sees the lead character broken by his gambling habits. He then turns to an outrageous solution in a manic-crazed rush that builds to an insanely tense gut punch of a finale.

The Sting

The famous Paul Newman and Robert Redford flick in which they play con artists. They set up a gambling scam, as they target a mob boss for revenge. It’s a classic with the theme of gambling and has to be on the list.

Casino

Hard-hitting all the way, featuring characters with flawed morals all over the place. The Martin Scorsese mega-hit is based on the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas. All the drama of high-stakes gambling is in there, plus the mob, corruption and power struggles.

21

Based on a true story, 21 follows card-counting MIT students on their journey as they take on the Casinos of Las Vegas. Naturally, they come under some suspicion, but they try to defy the security that’s closing in to keep their gig going.

Simran

Based on a true story, the film tells the tale of a nurse who gets sucked in by the world of gambling on a trip to Las Vegas. The debts from gambling stack up and the main character resorts to robbing banks to try to settle them. A huge hit of the movie is the starkly flawed main character.

Rounders

Two great lead performances from Matt Damon and Edward Norton make Rounders a brilliant film about gambling. The 1998 feature brings the classic conflict to light, a person going back to doing what they tried so hard to get away from in the first place. In this instance, it’s a former gambler who returns to it as he looks to help a friend get out of financial problems.

The Hustler

Here it is. This famous film starring Paul Newman had a sequel The Color of Money. This explores the world of pool hustling. But the main character Fast Eddie Felson has morals and integrity along with ambition. Unusually it is not the seedy, morally-challenged main character you find in a movie, and that makes it fascinating.

In Conclusion

The list of movies about gambling goes on and on, exploring many different angles. Naturally, the biggest of all is the destruction through addiction that it can bring. But there are also stories of redemption and characters fighting to hold on to their morals as well.

The driving force behind most of the great movies about gambling is the psychological side of it, and what the characters are going through, more than the action of gambling itself. There are some great gambling subcultures all mixed up into a rich pot of drama and action.

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