Exploring the tight bond between casinos and pop culture
November 28, 2024
The world of gaming has long fascinated authors and content creators, whether for its narrative power or its aesthetics. From manga to spy novels, the storytelling potential of a card draw ruled by sheer luck or a high-stakes poker tournament that could change the hero’s fate continues to captivate readers.
Countless movies about gambling also capture the electrifying essence of a game of chance, and the television world has long followed suit. So, what connections are there between the world of casinos and pop culture? Let’s embark on a retrospective.
A legacy dating back centuries
The oldest board game on the planet is believed to have emerged in Egypt circa 3000 BCE. Other strategy games spawned across the ancient Middle East, such as the Royal Game of Ur unearthed by British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley in 1928. All the rage in the Sumerian city of Ur, the oldest tabletop game ever found is now housed within the British Museum. It would take many more centuries for the first casino to open its doors in Venice in 1638. Numerous gaming establishments soon began to sprout across Europe, from Baden-Baden to Monte-Carlo, eventually spreading globally in the 19th century.
Many classical authors embraced the hype in their works, including Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky in his partly autobiographic novella The Gambler. A century later, Ian Fleming published the first volume of his spy series, sending James Bond on a mission to the fictional casino of Royale-les-Eaux. Interest in gambling extended to the silver screen, with the German drama series Arsène Lupin vs Sherlock Holmes marking the first depiction of gambling on-screen in 1910. Filmmakers from Hollywood’s Golden Age picked up on that trend, setting the standards for the genre in motion pictures such as The Cincinnati Kid and The Hustler.
Casinos making their way onto the small screen
Gambling has been a deep-seated topic in movie theatres. Some films from the 20th century have been celebrated for their artistic and cultural value, such as Louis Malle’s Atlantic City, added to the National Film Registry Listing of the US Library of Congress. At the turn of the next century, television joined the trend with shows like Las Vegas. The golden age of poker brought increasing coverage on the small screen, with televised programmes like Late Night Poker and Celebrity Poker Club leading the way in the UK. This poker boom also led to the creation of the World Poker Tour (WPT).
Many foreign productions jumped on the gambling bandwagon, especially so in the world of Japanese animation. Originally a manga before being adapted for the screen, Kaiji: Ultimate Survivor bridges the gap between the death game and the gambling genres. Its legacy has influenced worldwide hits like Netflix’s survival show Squid Game, whose much-anticipated second season is dropping on December 26th. From Akagi to Death Parade, many more anime have found global success on streaming platforms.
Casinos and pop culture: a mutual contribution
While casinos inspire cinema and TV, their impact extends to video games. Popular franchises like Fallout and Like a Dragon, which have both been adapted into live-action series on Prime Video, have long incorporated gameplay elements such as blackjack or Texas Hold ‘Em. Others, like the indie action game Cuphead, have reimagined casino imagery through immersive levels and creative bosses. This influence also involves some degree of reciprocity. In 2024, Netflix greenlighted the first official Squid Game machine slot.
Players can find many more TV-themed slots online, alongside classic card games and live dealer options. Hundreds of promotions are available round the clock, including casino welcome bonuses catering to newcomers. Such sign-up bonuses often include free spins and bonus rounds. To claim the most profitable deals, unrestrained by unattainable wagering requirements, users can browse detailed breakdowns of their pros and cons penned by industry experts. Free guides and tutorials help them take advantage of the best welcome packages to explore casino apps and websites, some of which offer tons of games inspired by pop culture icons.
Final Words
The gambling world fascinates both moviegoers and TV lovers, carving out a unique place in the collective imagination. Now more accessible than ever on mobile devices, casino games leverage the iconic status of prominent figures in the pop culture landscape to rejuvenate their image and appeal to broader audiences. Screen addicts can even play a wealth of games based on recent and nostalgia-filled TV shows alike, such as Baywatch, Narcos and The Walking Dead.