The Mob Museum In Las Vegas Shares Insight Into ‘Casino’ During 30 Year Anniversary

Three decades after the hit film “Casino” premiered, the iconic Martin Scorsese film and the Nicholas Pileggi book that inspired it are both marking major anniversaries. 

The movie, led by standout performances from Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, and Joe Pesci, brought a dramatized version of Las Vegas’ mob-run casino era to the forefront of pop culture. 

To honor this incredible milestone, The Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas is giving a closer look at the story behind the film, offering some insight into what really happened and what was just added Hollywood flair. The Blast spoke exclusively with Zach Jensen, Content Developer for The Mob Museum, to get some of the mob-era tea. 

This month marks 30 years of the nearly three-hour hit film “Casino,” directed by Martin Scorsese that was released in 1995. The film explores the inner workings of the mob-controlled casino era in Las Vegas and is based on real events and the nonfiction book “Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas” by Nicholas Pileggi.

The well-known film is a dramatized, behind-the-scenes look at how organized crime ran Vegas casinos and the ultimate cost for those involved. 

What better place to learn more about the mob era in Las Vegas than at The Mob Museum? Jensen took some time to share a little insight with The Blast into the film - what’s accurate and what’s dramatized for the movie. When asked how accurately the movie portrays the mob’s real influence in Sin City in the 70s and 80s, Jensen said, “it does a pretty good job.”

“‘Casino’ is a story of the end of the mob in Las Vegas. It captures that well,” Jensen told The Blast. “It just shows these mobsters thriving in the casino as they had been since the 40s and 50s. But things are starting to crack and you’re starting to see that happen to these guys. So as for the actual events that happen in the film, it’s pretty close to real life.” 

Jensen said that some details in the film were changed, such as names and locations, just for drama purposes. Jensen also said he feels the actors portray the real-life characters well. 

Jensen told The Blast that there’s a specific scene in "Casino" played at The Mob Museum that shows "how the mob made their money." 

“There's a scene that we play at the Mob Museum from the beginning of the movie. The scene is really how the mob made their money in Las Vegas. It was a form of tax fraud where they would take the money out of the casinos before it was officially counted, which meant they didn't pay taxes on that money and they didn’t have to share it with the shareholders,” he said. “That’s why Las Vegas was the mob cash cow.” 

This particular scene showed how that all worked. 

While Jensen said the film does a good job at telling the true story, there are some misconceptions out there. He also shared that some things were altered for dramatic purposes.

"A big misconception is that the mob ran Las Vegas. You see that a little bit in the film, but I think it does a good job of showing that they thought they ran Las Vegas but throughout the film, a lot of the conflict is from the gaming commission and from law enforcement making it harder and harder for them to run the casinos," Jensen shared.

"Another thing...this is really a Las Vegas movie thing, not a 'Casino' thing, but it shows everybody at the casinos, the tourists, looking their best at the gaming tables. You don't see any tourists dressed like tourists; it's something missing from the film."

Jensen said that The Mob Museum is a “culture” and people who visit can see more information about “Casino” as well as other pop culture moments. 

Located just a few blocks from Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, The Mob Museum is a great place for all ages to learn more about the rich history behind the mob and law enforcement. 

There are tons of great exhibits, some interactive, as well as a few ticketed experiences to enhance your visit. The Crime Lab, Firearm Training Simulator, and Distillery Tasting in the Underground Speakeasy & Distillery, are all great ways to keep the fun going strong.

For more information about The Mob Museum, visit their website.