A Filmmaker's Ranking of Casino Movies

The movie world has been influenced by a number of things happening around us. One of which is casino games and gambling. There are several good movies on Netflix that take each viewer into the wild and glitzy world of gambling. 

From stories of luck and deception to tales that show the dark sides of gambling, several casino movies on Netflix immerse audiences in the glamorous life of the casino. 

These movies paint pictures of a casino cast trying to balance between luck and strategy by risking their lives and falling into debt and addiction. No matter the storyline, there is no doubt that you would be entertained. 

Step into the high-stakes world of dazzling lights, thrilling bets, and the relentless pursuit of fortune as we delve into the captivating realm of gambling movies on Netflix. Each movie shows different sides of gambling and sometimes real-life stories of gamblers. 

Top Gambling Movies on Netflix Currently

When ranking the top gambling movies on our site, we consider the following criteria:

• Plot
• Acting
• Dialogue
• Cinematography 
• Directing 
• Storyline
• Critics review

We have ranked our top casino movies, and they are:

1 Uncut Gems  Crime Thriller Sports Betting  2019    7.4

Uncut Gems (2019)

Uncut Gems tells the story of Howard Ratner, played by Adam Sandler. He is a jeweler and gambling addict who makes a risky, high-stake bet that could potentially lead to his downfall. However, in this top gambling movie on Netflix, Howard’s choices and risky behavior create a chaotic yet interesting atmosphere as he navigates his personal life and the world of gem trading. Uncut Gems is just one of Adam Sandler’s movies on Netflix.

In this 2012-set crime thriller, Sandler, who plays Howard Ratner, runs KMH gems and jewelry gambling store in New York. Uncut Gems shows the life of a gambling addict who struggles to pay off the $100,000 debt he owes to Arno, a loan shark. Ratner is married to Dinah, who plans to divorce him after learning of Uncut Gems’ Julia Fox and Adam Sandler’s relationship. 

Howard receives a rare Black Opal gem smuggled by Ethiopian Jewish miners. He believes this Opal to be worth over $1 million. His friend, Demany, brings basketball star Kevin Garnett to KMH, and Ratner shows the black opal to Kevin. Entrapped by the precious stone, Kevin insists on holding onto it for luck at his game. Howard, although reluctant, loans Kevin the stone, taking Kevin’s NBA Championship ring as collateral. 

Howard pawns off Kevin’ s ring and uses it to place a bet just like you can in a free $5 deposit casino around you. Kevin eventually returns the Opal, offering to buy it for $175,000, which Howard rejects, believing it to be worth more. Before the Opal is auctioned off, Howard learns its worth and convinces his father-in-law, Gooey, to bid high on the stone. His plan backfires after Kevin refuses to match Gooey’s price. 

While Howard is attacked by Arno and his men due to his debt, he learns that he has earned $1.2 million from a bet. However, due to unfortunate events, Howard is unable to collect his winnings. 

Uncut Gems stars Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, LaKeith Steinfield, India Menzel, Kevin Garnett, Eric Bogosian, Judy Hirsch, Mike Francesa, and The Weeknd, among others.

Watch the trailer for Uncut Gems (2019)  here:

Win It All (2017)

A desperate small-scale gambler agrees to help a convicted acquaintance keep a bag filled with money. After discovering the content of the bag, he faces difficulty controlling his gambling addiction.

Eddie Garrett, a parking attendant, is a chronic gambling addict. He plays poker every night and is unable to pay his debts. One morning, Eddie, played by Jake Johnson, gets home to meet an acquaintance and local thug, Michael, sitting in his kitchen. Michael seeks Eddie’s help in keeping a duffle bag while he (Michael) goes to prison for six months. Michael promises to pay Eddie $10,000 on the condition that Eddie must not open the bag. After a few days, Eddie’s curiosity gets the best of him. He opens the bag and finds some items and a substantial sum of money. 

Against the advice of his addiction recovery sponsor, Eddie, a gambling addict, decides to take part of the money and gamble with it. Fortunately, he wins some money and returns the $500 he took from the bag. Excited about his win, Eddie invites his buddies to the local bar, where he meets Eva, a nurse. They enjoy each other’s company and make plans to meet again. 

Eddie’s addiction gets the better of him, and he ends up gambling away a part of the money. This stint leaves him broke and in debt, and he turns to Ron, his brother, for money. Ron gives Eddie a job with the promise that Eddie will work hard for six months, after which he (Ron) will loan him $100,000. Eddie takes his job seriously while also building his relationship with Eva. 

After working hard for about six weeks, Eddie suddenly receives a call from Michael, who tells him that he will be released early and coming in one week to collect his bag. In a panic, Eddie goes to Ron to borrow money, but Ron refuses. Left with no option, Eddie, under Gene’s advice, proceeds to a high-stakes poker game with the bag and stakes all the money. 

Fortunately, he hits big and regains all the money and a little profit. Eddie wants to continue playing, but Gene discourages him. At the game, Eddie gets a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital. He wakes up the next day and realizes he is late for dinner with Eva’s family. He pleads with Ron to drive him to dinner. 

The cast of Win It All (2017) are Jake Johnson, José Garcia, Aislinn Derbez, Joe Lo Truglio, Keegan-Michael Key, Kris Swanberg, and Nick Excitement. 

Watch the trailer for Win It All (2017) here:

Bullsh*t The Game Show (TV series 2022)

Bullsh*t The Game Show is a Netflix series where players move up the money ladder by answering questions correctly or incorrectly. However, they have to convince their opponents that their incorrect answers are, in fact, very correct. 

The host, Howie Mendel, asks players difficult trivia questions, and then they lock in their answers. After their answers are locked in, players have to explain their answers and give reasons for their answers. Opponents will have to decide if such answer is correct or bullsh*t. 

If all three opponents call bullsh*t, the player who has answered the question will have to leave the game show without any cash prize. But if two out of three opponents call bullsh*t and one opponent thinks the player is telling the truth, that player wins some money and moves on to the next round of the show.

If a player can answer all ten questions, they will go home with a cash prize of $1,000,000.

The cast of Bullsh*t The Game Show are Howie Mendel, Ashley Johnson, Ellyn Marsh, Allison Betts, Megan Monteleone, Warren Rhem, Travis Sharp, Ishpal Sidhu, Billy Soco, Alejandra Mendoza, Kiera Jefferson, Blythe Scott, Sam Meier, Cidnee Gray, Katie Dolan, Emily Pool, Tony Moore, Jason Marks, Jeff May, Tony Pfost, Timi Laffredi, Hannah Wydeven, Dara Blatteis, Brian Harris, Moji Igun, Shank Subramani, Ciara Van Gheem, Sally Neumann, Yousuf A. Khan, and Adreinne Murphy. 

Watch the trailer for Bullsh*t The Gameshow (2022) here: 

Army of the Dead (2021)

In the wake of a zombie outbreak in the city of Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries is hired to break into the quarantine zone with the goal of carrying out an impossible heist. 

This blockbuster Netflix movie opens with a US military convoy transporting a package from Area 51. This convoy collides with the vehicle of a distracted newlywed couple driving down the same road. There is an accident, and the convoy’s cargo, a zombie called Zeus, escapes, killing several soldiers and infecting two soldiers. Zeus and the affected soldiers enter the city, infecting most of the population. After a failed military invention, the government decides to quarantine the whole city.  

Six years after the zombie apocalypse, Bly Tanaka, casino owner, and his associate Martin meet with a retired mercenary and former resident of Las Vegas, Scott Ward, about a mission to recover Tanaka’s $200 million from a vault in his casino before the military destroys the city in a nuclear strike. Scott agrees and proceeds to recruit his former teammates Maria Cruz and Vanderohe, with Marianne Peters (a helicopter pilot), Ludwig Dieter (German safecracker), and Mikey Guzman (sharpshooter), who bring along his associate Chambers. Tanaka’s associate, Martin also joins the team. 

At the quarantine camp, Ward meets his daughter Kate, who works there. Kate directs the team to meet with Lily, a smuggler familiar with the city. Lily employs the services of Burt Cummings, a camp security guard. Kate, on her father’s objection, also insists on joining the team after learning that Lily escorted her friend Geeta into Vegas. 

The team finally gets into Tanaka’s casino after sacrificing Cummings to Zeus. At the casino, Kate and Scott turn on the power while Peters prepares a helicopter on the roof and Dieter works on cracking the vault. Martin and Lily, pretending to keep watch outside, capture the queen zombie and behead her. Zeus becomes furious after finding her body and directs the Alpha zombies to Bly’s casino. News reached the team that the government had moved up the strike, giving them only one hour to leave the zone. Dieter opens the vault, and Kate escapes to look for Geeta. In the search for Kate, Cruz is killed. 

Martin traps the team in the basement, revealing that Bly only cares about the zombie’s head and that the vault is just a decoy. Zeus and other members of the team are killed, except Kate and Vanderohe. Before Scott dies, he gives Kate money to start a new life. Kate and Vanderohe are rescued, but Vanderohe discovers he has been bitten and infected by a zombie. 

This star studded gambling movie on Netflix features Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tig Notaro, Raúl Castillo, Huma Qureshi, and Garret Dillahunt. 

There is a yet-to-be-released sequel titled Army of the Dead 2

Watch the trailer for Army of the Dead (2021) here: 

Potential Return of Gambling Movies on Netflix

Although these movies have been taken off the big streaming platform, there is a potential return of these gambling movies on Netflix soon. Here is a list of the most popular movies on Netflix that may return: 

Final Thoughts

Movies are a channel of entertainment especially when they are based on your preferred genre. The type of genre you enjoy can influence your behavior, thoughts, and beliefs. Movies about gambling are loaded with triggers, especially for people with a gambling addiction. Any gambling movie can trigger addiction, even the best casino movie. Although Hollywood has a role in glamorizing gambling, it also has many gambling addiction movies to show the dangers posed by gambling.

It is natural to want to watch top gambling movies, especially those with good reviews. You just need to be careful not to allow them to influence gambling addiction.