Just recently we covered the best gambling movies of all time, but truth be told, a good portion of them is hard to find in the today’s era of streaming services, copyrights and all other blockers for a good movie night. Luckily, Netflix can be a gold mine of movies, and sometimes the only thing you would need is a name, and we got several of them below. Welcome to our list of best gambling movies on Netflix, enjoy your stay!
1. James Bond: Casino Royale (2006):
In his first adventure as 007, Daniel Craig gets off to a blistering start in Casino Royale, facing down Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), an agent of villainous organization SMERSH. Le Chiffre’s investment scheme has gone awry and he seeks to win back his money at a high-stakes poker game. The film set the tone for gritty, grounded Bond films that aren’t afraid to get their suits dirty. In addition to the many clever gadgets on display (a retractable knife in Craig’s shoes?!), there’s also an epic car chase through the narrow streets of Madagascar, giving new meaning to the term “driving whilst distracted”. No less dapper in his signature tuxedo, equally dangerous with his sophisticated weapons, and more charming than ever when it comes to the ladies, Craig as the seventh James Bond embodies the double-o spirit like nobody else. If you like one-liners, exquisite gambling skills, and fast cars, Casino Royale will be just the movie for you.
2. Bugsy (1991):
This is the story of a man who didn’t want to be just another wise guy—meet Bugsy Siegel, the brains, beat, and bravado behind Las Vegas. You may think you know, but did you know that Las Vegas was all Warren Beatty’s idea? Well, maybe. In any case, Barry Levinson’s stylish bio-thriller, which features Beatty’s first Oscar-nominated performance in 20 years (and his second nomination of the same year), makes the stories behind Vegas legend Bugsy Siegel’s role in founding the city almost as wild and entertaining as casino life itself. A fever dream of a film noir with a surprising amount of heart underneath its carefully calculated exterior, Bugsy is less about gambling than it is about Sin City’s messy birth, but it’s still one of the best gambling movies on Netflix. A must-watch!
3. Guns, Girls and Gambling (2012):
Have you ever watched a movie so intense that it left you breathless? So dark, gripping, and alluring that it nearly brought you to tears but was just as laughable and absurd as it was serious? Well, if you have then Guns, Girls & Gambling is that and more! It’s a crazy tale of double-crosses, cowboy lore, and one priceless Apache warrior mask. John Smith is a Cherokee Indian ex-con who finds himself pulled into an unlikely caper involving a priceless Native American artifact and a motley crew of eccentric lowlifes including a tattooed hitman, an Elvis impersonator, and a sexy call girl with a penchant for guns. It all leads up to an explosive roller-coaster ride through the desert on two classic Chevy Impalas, lots of bodies, and enough bad wigs to choke the killer cowboys, kleptomaniac gangster girls, and crooked cops involved. It’s like a Quentin Tarantino movie meets the best of James Ellroy in the hands of Elmore Leonard.
4. Bachelor Party Vegas (2006):
Get ready for a wild and wacky trip to Sin City, where a group of friends plans to hold the best bachelor party ever for their soon-to-be-groom buddy—chock-full of booze, babes, and one unforgettable weekend. In order to make it really memorable, they hire a professional event planner and—what starts as a great idea—ends up in chaos when the event planner turns out to be a bank robber, setting off a chain of events that turns their nights into a living hell. Directed by Eric Bernt in his directorial debut, Bachelor Party Vegas stars Kal Penn, Jonathan Bennett, Charlie Spiller, Diora Baird, and Donald Faison. The movie is a laugh-out-loud romp complete with a surprise ending. If you like silly, Vegas comedies with a surprising twist at the end, then you will love this movie.
5. 21 (2008):
“if you’re not shooting big, then there’s no reason to play.” With a handful of cash in their pockets and a few impromptu math lessons, five ambitious MIT students set out to break Las Vegas. Based on the true story of a group of math whizzes whose astonishing tally of wins in Vegas casinos made them the toast of the blackjack circuit, 21 is a high-energy drama directed by Robert Luketic featuring Kevin Spacey as an unorthodox math professor and mentor Mick Rosa and Jim Sturgess as his student Ben Campbell, who joins his team along with four university students that are recruited into Rosa’s group so they can take casinos for all they have got. Pros of watching the movie: You might actually learn something about card counting and the math behind it. Cons: You will then forget it all within an hour of the movie ending.
If you’re already familiar with a good portion of this list, we would recommend something a bit more exotic; jump over to our list of best gambling anime and discover your next favorite series.