MovieChat Forums > Casino (1995) Discussion > Why was Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) banned...

Why was Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci) banned from all casinos?

posted 7 years ago by TheMan18 (12711)
8 replies | jump to latest

Halfway through the film, it was mentioned that Nicky Santoro was banned from all casinos in Las Vegas, but on what grounds was it exactly? Was he misbehaving and being rude too badly and were they right to ban him like that? Did he not have anything to say in his defense or?

Also, when he stabbed that guy with a pen in a bar over a petty argument, how come none of the witnesses reported him for murder, at least those from a far, given how it was reasonably broad daylight and someone could maybe have anonymously taken a photo and gone to the police?

[–] TexasJack (12515) 7 years ago

I don't know the true life story, but I assume it was because they knew he was in the Mafia and they didn't want the Mafia infiltrating the casinos.

He skated on the bar murder for the same reason: it's dangerous to act as a witness against the Mob.

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

He skated on the bar murder for the same reason: it's dangerous to act as a witness against the Mob.

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Was that a murder? I must admit, the stab to the neck looked like it was inoperable, but it was hard to tell. Maybe the guy survived...did this happen in the real life story? Anybody know?

[–] TexasJack (12515) 5 years ago

That's a good question. I really have no reason to believe that he was killed except that it would have been the best way to guarantee that there was no one to complain to the cops.

It's like the scene later in the movie, when all the bosses were discussing what to do about the guy who made the cash pickups from the casino count room. They go around the table and every boss said "good guy", "he's ok", etc., until the last boss says "Why take a chance?"

That was it for him.

[–] ecarle (14979) 5 years ago

They go around the table and every boss said "good guy", "he's ok", etc., until the last boss says "Why take a chance?"

That was it for him.

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And a lot of other people. These wheezing old Mafia guys on oxygen(at least for their court appearance) turn out to have a lot of power -- especially that one guy. "Why take a chance?" leads to the execution of some pretty loyal guys because...why take a chance?

Its a great "trigger line" to a lot of carnage.

[–] kenburke (2310) 6 years ago

Why was he banned from all casinos? Because he was a wild and crazy guy!!!

[–] Utpe (658) 5 years ago

There's a video on YouTube by History Buffs that explains quite a bit of the movie:

https://youtu.be/WINbMo5poQ4?t=1393 (Video starts at the scene you mentioned)

It doesn't necessarily answer your question, but my take on it is having something to do with Nicky being affiliated with Sam Rothstein and Sam having that little outburst at his hearing in front of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

In the case of gaming control boards, people listed are generally suspected of having, or known to have, ties to organized crime. Casinos are obliged by regulations to exclude all such people from entry and can be subject to sanctions from the Gaming Control Board for failure to do so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Book_(gambling)

[–] Sandman81 (1505) 5 years ago

On top of being a known mob guy, the Gaming Board already suspected that he was loaning sharking money to dealers, thus getting them in his debt and giving him ways to cheat the casinos. Remember early on there's a scene where Nicky and his guys are playing poker, with Nicky winning a lot. Ace notes that they were way to signal happy and he also spots undercover agents watching them. He even warns Nicky who blows him off.

[–] Cognoscente (2504) 3 years ago

Nicky was like Napoleon.