His skill in creating profit margins and managing a gambling operation was unparalleled, but it didn’t go unrecognized.Īs De Niro says in the film, “I had down so good, I was given paradise on Earth.” Real-life Ace Rothstein’s fascination with sports betting never dissipated, and he established the first-ever legitimate sportsbook on American soil in 1976.Ĭasino isn’t a light film by any means, and Scorsese deeply investigates the real story and characters. His expertise and organizational ability as an oddsmaker led to prominent organized crime families in Chicago putting him in charge of the biggest Vegas casinos. With a filmography that includes classics like Goodfellas, Mean Streets, The Departed, and The Gangs of New York, Martin Scorsese has never shied away from delving deeply into the dubious fringe of American society.īased on the true story of Frank “Ace” Rothstein (played by Robert De Niro), Casino is an epic investigation and exploration of organized crime’s involvement in major Las Vegas casinos during the 1970s.Īce, an ethical and detail-oriented individual, got his start as one of the sharpest oddsmakers of his era.
