British television has featured casinos for decades, ever since gambling was legalised in the 1960s, casinos and games such as poker and blackjack have been shown on screen. These gambling venues are portrayed in many different ways, often they are a significant part of the show or film’s story and evoke feelings of suspense, thrill and excitement. 

Casino gaming is part of British culture, adults in Britain enjoy playing games such as poker, blackjack and slots either in bricks and mortar casinos or on online sites like Megaways Casino. That is why many adults also enjoy watching casino games play out on television. 

Casinos with their layout and vibrant decor are a great shooting location for a television or film scene, here are just some of the best scenes filmed in a casino in recent decades:

Casino Royale (2006) – Bond playing against Le Chiffre 

Casino Royale is arguably one of the best films in the James Bond series. Agent Bond earns his licence to kill and goes off on his first mission as 007, where he is tasked with defeating Le Chiffre, a private banker funding terrorists.

In the famous casino scene, set in Monte Carlo, there is an epic showdown between Bond and Le Chiffre. Although in the original novel, the pair challenge each other at baccarat, this is replaced by Texas hold’em in the film.

The scene shows poker with great authenticity, with the cast practising the game between filming takes. In the sequence, Le Chiffre is playing a $130 poker million game in the hopes he will be able to recoup recent financial losses.

 Ultimately, despite having his martini poisoned, Bond goes all in and wins the tense tournament with an unlikely straight flush.  

Lock, Stock, and Two-Smoking Barrels (1998) – An Awkward Position

The 90s crime comedy film Lock, Stock, and Two-Smoking Barrels involves a heist and a pro player losing £500,000 in a card game against a crime lord. To repay his debts, the player and his friends rob a gang in the flat nextdoor. 

One of the best scenes in the movie has been named An Awkward Position and is central to the main plot. The game takes place inside a boxing ring and the two opponents keep raising their bets.

The older player takes a big risk by raising the bet significantly, with the younger player failing to think the decision through and following his bet. After losing, the music and clever camera angles catch the young player’s anguish and shock brilliantly. 

The film featured many famous faces, including Sting and Jason Statham. It was highly rated and a huge success in the box office.

Snatch (2000) – Two hustlers try to grab the money

Another crime comedy film featuring Jason Statham is the 2000 title Snatch. Based in London, one part of the plot focuses on the search for a stolen diamond and another part follows a boxing promoter who finds himself mixed up in a criminal gang carrying out extreme acts of violence. 

In the famous casino scene, two hustlers decide to rob the bookmaker. However, they discover that the bookmaker has no cash and they must race to take whatever they can before the authorities arrive.

This film shares many themes and ideas with Lock, Stock, and Two-Smoking Barrels, both of which were directed by Guy Ritchie. It was a successful release with a large cult following and in 2017 a series based on the film made its debut and ran for two seasons.

Croupier (1998) – A gambler comes in to place a late bet

Another casino themed film released in 1998 was Croupier. The film follows a writer who makes the decision to work on a casino floor as a croupier. 

He soon realises that he will be able to write a very interesting story based on the drama at the casino. The most tense and central scene to the plot in this film takes place when a gambler comes to the table to place a late bet in the game.

The croupier notices and informs security, as this late bet is a way of cheating to win easy money. The events that ensue following this scene are highly entertaining.

This film was highly successful and is credited as the film that allowed Clive Owen’s career to really take off. While its release didn’t receive much attention in the United Kingdom at first, when it reached the United States it was a huge hit.

These are just some of the best casino scenes to make it onto British television. You can even pick up some tips for playing poker or other casino games from watching these scenes. Most scenes are highly authentic with extreme efforts made to ensure games played in the scenes mimic real gameplay and follow the usual rules of the game.