5 Exciting Documentaries About Gambling
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The global gambling market held a value of $64.13 billion in 2020. It currently stands at $72.2 billion in 2021 at a 12.3% Compound Annual Growth Rate(CAGR). The gambling market is predicted to reach $112.09 billion at a CAGR of 12% in 2025.
The gambling industry has undergone a steady rise over the last two decades. Hollywood filmmakers have directed many gambling documentaries that would draw you into the lives of punters. One can also witness the highs and lows of obsessive gambling tendencies among gamblers via these documentaries.
Movies on gambling come with inherent drama due to the risk factor involved in gambling. Casino experts for GamStop players on NonStopCasino prepared popular and must-watch documentaries on these topics include :
Now Place Your Bets
This 2017 documentary movie directed by Dennis Tobler features characters like Professor Richard Davies, Pete Rose, Joe D’Amico. The movie depicts a dramatic rise of legalized sports betting in Las Vegas which eventually turned into a multi-million dollar industry globally. This documentary surrounds the world of sports betting especially in the US and Las Vegas where sports betting is legal.
The documentary also portrays how Las Vegas played a major role in the transformation of sports betting into a craze. Through footage, photographs, in-depth interviews, the movie focuses on the milestones that helped in shaping the industry into where it stands today. The film prominently features professional gamblers, bookmakers, historians, and journalists who witnessed these events.
Bet Raise Fold: The Story Of Online Poker
This 2013 documentary revolves around the origin of online real money poker, its evolution, and its impact on authorities in the US. Directed by Ryan Firpo, the film launches players from around the country shedding light on the after-effects of decisions made by the federal government which led to a clash between the government and the industry. The steady rise and sudden fall of the online multi-million dollar poker industry in the 2000s and its effect on the poker professionals is detailed in the documentary.
The rise and fall of the industry are woven around the three major characters of the film – A math genius and poker Salvant Marvin from Australia who plays poker for travelling around the globe, Danielle, a mother from Minnesota who supports her family by playing online poker and a casanova Tony, who hosts the World Poker Tour on TV. The top cast includes Tony Dunst(self), Danielle Andersen(Self), Martin Bradstreet, Aaron Groben.
Inside: Underground Poker
This 2012 documentary features a cast of vibrant characters with names like John the Banker, Mikey Tats, and Brad the Conductor. Produced by Jon Bulette, the movie dives into the underground poker situation in New York City and its impact on the lives of then punters.
In the film, we can see Brad who organizes these illegal poker games and is always a step ahead to avoid the federal and state gambling authorities. This underground poker industry is a significant part of any gambler’s lives and the filmmaker has done a remarkable job taking us through the ups and downs of these players.
Gambling Addiction And Me: The Real Hustler
Directed by Iain Scollay and written by Alexis Conran, the plot revolves around a gambling addiction being explored by Alexis and its impact on his estranged father. He walks down a path to understand and highlight the severities of a gambling disorder and how it changes the lives of the near and dear ones.
He meets many gambling addicts, family members, and experts to understand what makes gambling so lucrative. It got a rating of 7.5/10 on IMDb.
Frontline: The Fantasy Sports Gamble
This is one of the sports documentaries in a collaboration between The New York Times and PBS and is considered as of the most fore-thinking films related to the gambling industry. The documentary focuses on 2 specific sites: FanDuel and DraftKings where both companies facilitate fantasy sports betting in the US. The documentary is an open book on how these sites operate and make money.
Fantasy sports were very popular across the country due to their legality. In most areas of the US, gambling and sports betting are illegal, however, fantasy sports do not bet on actual contests and thus it is perfectly legal in the country since it is classified as an entertainment segment. Being unregulated, it made huge business without having to pay any affiliated gambling taxes or licensing fees.
Conclusion
Around 2.6% of the US population suffers from some form of gambling addiction which adds up to 10 million people. The gambling industry has gotten a lot of attention and people consider it as an amazing pastime.
Thus, investing some time in watching documentaries on gambling, its pitfalls, negative effects on personal lives, and work gives a person thorough knowledge about how to treat gambling. Learning about the industry via documentaries raises awareness by taking advantage of your downtime.
