Louis Theroux: Gambling in Las Vegas
- TV Movie
- 2007
- 59m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
1.5K
YOUR RATING
Louis Theroux goes to the heart of gambling culture in Las Vegas.Louis Theroux goes to the heart of gambling culture in Las Vegas.Louis Theroux goes to the heart of gambling culture in Las Vegas.
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- ConnectionsFollowed by The Most Hated Family in America (2007)
Featured review
Are You Winning? We Are From Italy
Everyone knows that casino gambling is a long term losing bet. The odds are against you with the house edge even if certain people don't want to admit it. This Louis Theroux documentary touches on that point and many others as it explores Las Vegas. It isn't a heavy handed anti-gambling pic, but it does show the place for what it is. An entertaining place primarily built to separate gamblers from all their money.
The tone is generally light and pleasant. You never glimpse any heavy depraved sadness as Louis strolls the Hilton Hotel & Casino property circa 2007. You do hear serious sums of money being lost however. He follows around (some hardcore) gamblers and you get an idea from most of them why they do it. They can afford to in all cases, but it's gone from being entertainment to an addiction.
Louis has a hard job straddling a fine line. You can definitely sense he's trying not to judge, but he hardly looks comfortable being a bystander. I question if the Hilton imposed rules or a contract with him in able to film. He asks some polite, but point blank questions to gamblers and various staff members. Did he expect the predictable answers he got in return. There's a fair bit of avoidance of reality.
When he puts up some of his own money and starts drinking, you can see he's having a good time. As his own narration points out, he understands for the first time the duel edged sword. He ends up playing high limit baccarat & leaves his session up which always helps your outlook on gambling. When you're winning it's fun. If you're doing it purely for entertainment with an expectation that you're going to lose more times than not (and it's money you can afford to loss with no pain) it can still be fun.
Las Vegas was the mecca for debauchery, gamblers until Macau rolled around. As a light gambler, I felt this doc delivered what it set out to do. Only a hardcore degen who feels the need to justify his addiction or a sadist who wants to see lives ruined in dark detail won't like this fun "inside" peek.
The tone is generally light and pleasant. You never glimpse any heavy depraved sadness as Louis strolls the Hilton Hotel & Casino property circa 2007. You do hear serious sums of money being lost however. He follows around (some hardcore) gamblers and you get an idea from most of them why they do it. They can afford to in all cases, but it's gone from being entertainment to an addiction.
Louis has a hard job straddling a fine line. You can definitely sense he's trying not to judge, but he hardly looks comfortable being a bystander. I question if the Hilton imposed rules or a contract with him in able to film. He asks some polite, but point blank questions to gamblers and various staff members. Did he expect the predictable answers he got in return. There's a fair bit of avoidance of reality.
When he puts up some of his own money and starts drinking, you can see he's having a good time. As his own narration points out, he understands for the first time the duel edged sword. He ends up playing high limit baccarat & leaves his session up which always helps your outlook on gambling. When you're winning it's fun. If you're doing it purely for entertainment with an expectation that you're going to lose more times than not (and it's money you can afford to loss with no pain) it can still be fun.
Las Vegas was the mecca for debauchery, gamblers until Macau rolled around. As a light gambler, I felt this doc delivered what it set out to do. Only a hardcore degen who feels the need to justify his addiction or a sadist who wants to see lives ruined in dark detail won't like this fun "inside" peek.
helpful•10
- refinedsugar
- Sep 12, 2023
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- Also known as
- Луи Теру: Азартные игры в Лас-Вегасе
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime59 minutes
- Color
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What was the official certification given to Louis Theroux: Gambling in Las Vegas (2007) in the United Kingdom?
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