The Best Casino-Themed Books

Casinos have been prime gaming destinations for hundreds of years, attracting customers from every corner of the world. From 17^th century Venice to modern day Atlantic City and beyond, these facilities provide exhilarating entertainment experiences on their glamorous floors. As such, it is only natural that the casino industry has made its way into both pop culture and mainstream literature in casino-themed books over the years.

In fact, an entire host of different plotlines and characters have been created by various authors, recounting both fictional and real-life tales centred around the casino lifestyle. Here are a few of the very best.

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming

No list featuring casino-themed books would make much sense without Ian Fleming’s classic novel Casino Royale.

Published all the way back in 1953 as the very first James Bond book, that would later become part of a well-known series with over a dozen titles, the story introduces the British secret agent known as 007, against a backdrop of neon casino lights and one evil villain, Le Chiffre.

Bond’s main mission centres around engaging in a high stakes game of baccarat, in order to stop the antagonist’s flow of funds.

Although nowadays fans associate the rugged spy with the many actors that have played him on the big screen, James Bond would never have existed without this masterful work of fiction.

The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky

From the brilliant author of some of world literature’s most iconic pieces, such as Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov, Fyoder Dostoevsky’s The Gambler is a short novel of only 191 words, but is a classic work of art all the same.

The novella follows the life of main character Alexey Ivanovitch, who is an employee of a well-off General in 1863 Russia and who also has a burgeoning love for the game of roulette.

An intricate tale of socioeconomic status, romance, and casino culture, The Gambler is an all-encompassing drama with the precise multi-layered characterization that readers are accustomed to from Dostoevsky’s literary masterpieces.  

Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich

Moving away from classic novels, Ben Mezrich’s 2002 non-fiction book Bringing Down the House tells the story of how a group of MIT students were able to master the art of card counting at the blackjack table.

A true account of brilliant minds and mathematical agility, the book takes readers on a rollercoaster ride set under the bright lights of Sin City, describing how six friends ultimately won over two million dollars after figuring out how to beat the classic blackjack system commonly used in casinos.

In 2008, Hollywood grabbed a hold of the hit book, utilizing its plot to create a blockbuster sensation with the hugely successful film, 21.

The majority of Mezrich’s non-fiction piece takes place in Las Vegas

Comped by Bill Kearney

A fictional account of the author’s experience with blackjack in 1980’s Atlantic City during the height of legalisation, Comped is an action-packed drama that gives the reader an inside look at what casino lifestyles looked like, back when the glitzy city’s resorts and entertainment centres were being founded.

The protagonist, Richie V, makes his way through Atlantic City’s most up and coming locations, perfectly depicting the nature of casino gaming on the East Coast at the time.

All on Zero by Argiro Mantoglou

Translated from its native Greek, All on Zero is a complex and fictional romance that centres around the intricate relationship between a young, aspiring author named Dawn and a casino croupier called Stavros.

Shortly after meeting, the two become involved in an intense cycle of roulette gaming, betting on each other’s deepest darkest secrets in an effort to get to know each other.

A tale of overpowering love and affection, Mantoglou crafts a deeply interesting narrative filled with unexpected twists and turns that ultimately leave the reader hungry for more.

Molly’s Game by Molly Bloom

Molly Bloom describes her experiences managing a high-stakes, exclusive private poker game in Molly’s Game. Her clientele included well-known celebrities, politicians, and wealthy business magnates with such clout that they altered markets and the path of history. Molly vividly depicts a world that has up until now been cloaked in glitz, luxury, and secrecy, where she bravely faced off against the Italian and Russian mobs—until she encountered the one enemy she could not defeat, which was the US government.

Molly relocates to New York City to start afresh after completing her sentence. To make money, she takes up odd jobs and starts writing Molly’s Game, her memoir. She is forced to face her history and her mistakes as a result of writing. She admits her mistakes and the hurt she caused, but she also acknowledges her fortitude and the wisdom she has gained. Ultimately, Molly’s Game is a tale of self-discovery and atonement.

Beat the Dealer by Edward Thorp

The prospect of beating blackjack was the subject of very few theories and even fewer pieces of evidence prior to the publication of this book by math professor Edward Thorp. Beat the Dealer, which describes basic technique, a winning method, and other systems along with anecdotes of how they were used in real-world situations in Las Vegas, revolutionized all of this. This book’s capacity to appeal to players with differing degrees of blackjack expertise and experience is another crucial component. A thorough introduction to the game’s rules and fundamental tactics is provided for new players to ease them in before delving into intricate point-counting system ideas and debates about science against chance.

Casino Confidential by Anonymous

Written by a licensed pit manager who wished to remain anonymous, Casino Confidential gives you an inside look at the gaming industry from the perspective of the casinos. Casino Confidential begins by outlining some of the methods used by land-based casinos to attract players. After that, there are guides to all of the major casino games that will teach you how to lower the house edge in addition to warning you about what to avoid. This book’s primary strength is that, in contrast to other books in its genre, it offers practical playing techniques rather than wasting time on strategy and ideas.

Grift Sense by James Swain

Since its 2001 release, James Swain’s debut novel, Grift Sense, which centers on former police officer-turned-hustle-expert Tony Valentine, has been a success among readers of crime fiction and casino enthusiasts. Valentine, a retired police officer from Atlantic City, spends his retirement years in Florida. The management of the fictional Acropolis Resort & Casino entices Valentine to Las Vegas in the hopes that Valentine will be able to catch attention-seeking potential hustler Frank Fontaine. At the end of this first Tony Valentine book, the reader is left wanting more because of Swain’s brilliant style, which leads them through a number of captivating plot twists and turns. Thankfully, Swain has since released six more Valentine novels.

Boardwalk Empire by Nelson Johnson

The history of Las Vegas is well-known and frequently written about, but what about the other gambling hotspots in America? The amazing tale of how Atlantic City has endured periods of opulence, corruption, and anarchy before emerging as a respectable casino resort is told in Boardwalk Empire. A succession of avaricious local politicians and mobsters dominated Atlantic City for the majority of the 20th century. Terence Winter, the creator of The Sopranos, used Johnson’s novel as the basis for an HBO television series because it has been so popular in the US.