Casinos are all about getting people to spend their money. They employ sounds, lights and physical design to create an environment that is at once inviting yet hard to walk away from. But most importantly, casinos use psychology to get you to gamble more money than you can afford to lose.

As any gambler knows, there’s a lot of luck involved in gambling. But for most of us, the chances of winning are slim to none. Even professional card counters can’t beat the house over the long term. So how do casinos trick a room full of rational people who work hard for their money and make reasoned financial decisions on a daily basis to throw hundreds or thousands of dollars at the roll of the dice or spin of the wheel?

While Goodfellas focused on the inner workings of a mafia-based crime family, Casino takes a more global approach. In addition to showing the corruption within the casino business itself, Scorsese’s film looks at how gambling affects the lives of regular people in the community.

Something about the presence of large amounts of money seems to encourage cheating and stealing. It’s why casinos invest a great deal of time and money into security. On the floor, dealers keep their eyes peeled for any blatant scams like palming or marking cards and switching dice. Pit bosses and table managers monitor the action with a broader view, watching for betting patterns that might suggest rigging. And every single person on the casino floor has a “higher-up” supervisor keeping an eye on them and reporting their performance back to management.

Booze helps lower inhibitions and cloud judgment, which is why it’s served nonstop at the poker tables, horse racing screens and slot machines. Aside from the small tips patrons give their waiters and waitresses, casino booze is free for players to enjoy. But while alcohol may help people relax and have fun, it’s also a major contributor to their losses.

Another way casinos lure people into spending more money is by offering comps. While they aren’t necessarily free, these incentives make players feel special and are designed to keep them playing longer. Comps can include food, drinks and even hotel rooms, limo service or airline tickets for big bettors. These benefits can easily add up to thousands of dollars in lost revenue for a single player.

While many studies argue about the positive or negative impact that a casino has on its hometown, it’s clear that it does bring in tax revenue. In fact, some cities rely almost exclusively on the income generated by their casinos. But attracting group business to your casino can be difficult without the right marketing tools. With Cvent’s Competitive Market Ads, your casino can be displayed prominently to event planners in similar markets or sister cities when they’re searching for solutions online. These ads give you the exposure to attract the business that your competitors are missing.