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Is Casino a True Story? The Real Events Behind Scorsese's Crime Film

by Rainbet
Published Jan 21, 2025

Is Casino a true story? Yes, the 1995 Martin Scorsese film draws from real events in Las Vegas during the 1970s and 1980s.

The movie tells the story of Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, portrayed as Sam "Ace" Rothstein by Robert De Niro.

The real Frank Rosenthal managed three Las Vegas casinos - the Fremont, Hacienda, and Stardust - for the Chicago mob.

Like many who try to beat the system in modern online casino games, Rosenthal operated outside legal boundaries, but on a much larger scale.

The movie stays true to many real events. Rosenthal never had a gaming license due to his mob connections. He survived a car bombing thanks to a metal plate under his driver's seat.

His wife Geri McGee, played by Sharon Stone, had an affair with mobster Anthony Spilotro (Joe Pesci's character) and later died from a drug overdose.

The film accurately shows how the mob killed Spilotro and his brother, burying them in an Indiana cornfield. A former casino executive was also murdered in Costa Rica, just as depicted in the film.

These events highlight why casinos now have strict regulations. Attempts to cheat or manipulate casino systems result in severe legal consequences.

Modern security measures make it impossible to replicate these historical events.