The makers of any movie aim to capture the imagination of people, to create a prospective audience. So, it makes sense that several British movies have featured two things that appeal to a significant percentage of the British public, casinos, and gambling. According to official Gambling Commission figures, 43% of people in the UK gamble once a month, so it follows they find gambling related storylines interesting.
In reality, there has been a move towards using UK online casinos and sites outside of GAMSTOP based overseas. People often find these sites more convenient than traditional land-based casinos. However, a movie about someone sitting at home playing games on a laptop or smartphone is not going to break any box office records. So, the most memorable British casino and gambling movies are all about the face to face experience.
Casino Royale
You cannot get a casino related movie that is more iconic than Casino Royale. We are talking about the 2006 James Bond adventure here, and not the 1967 spy spoof that has the same name, but is not as impressive. In arguably one of the best Bond movies ever, 007 shows his skill for card games when a game of Texas Hold ‘Em turns deadly.
Revolver
This is one of two Guy Ritchie movies in our list, and it’s as violent and action-packed as you would expect. This 2005 movie stars Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore and André Benjamin. Statham’s character is a conman who is released from prison. He visits a casino owned by a vicious gangster to retrieve money owed to him. His attempts fail, and a rollercoaster of action follows.
Funny Man
This 1994 movie is a horror tale that is funny, as well as being a gore fest. If you like movies where characters break the fourth wall, you will appreciate the humour in this. The story follows a record producer who wins a house in a card game. This may sound like good fortune, but the win leads to him and his family encountering a demonic jester who manipulates and kills at will.
Croupier
This 1998 movie is not as well-known as some in this list, but it’s an interesting tale, nevertheless. Clive Owen plays the croupier of the title, who works at the tables in a casino while he is writing a book. The job leads him into dark encounters with the underworld that he will never forget. His experiences mean he is able to write a best seller, but they also continue to haunt him.
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
This is the second Guy Ritchie movie on our list. It’s release, in 1998, boosted the popularity of British gangster movies. The story starts with the central character losing money at a poker game to a local gangster. His friends then join him in an attempt to get the money to pay the gangster before they become victim to his retribution. This violent but funny movie is a masterpiece.
