As casinos and slots tend to use characters inspired by TV shows, movies, and cartoons, so do the casinos themselves quite often come into view on big screens. We got used to great movies like “The Casino”, “11 Ocean’s Eleven”, “Agent 007” to be part of a scenario, but what about cartoons? Is it good for children to watch gambling elements in cartoons to pop up? But adults also love cartoons and can teach us many valuable lessons about human nature and the risks of excessive gambling.
Here are some significant moments in the history of animation, where the casino theme plots got special attention.
1 - South Park
In one of the episodes of Season 7, the main characters Kyle, Stan, Cartman, and Kenny are transported to the era of the 19th century, where the Native Americans are facing the casino chief who tries to steal their land to make it for more casino spaces. But plot twists in another direction, where the casino executive Gerald loses control of his gaming habits and has to think about how to keep his home and his family. Not the land for the casino’s plan is the least of his worries.
2 - Barbary Coast Bunny
The old Looney Tunes cartoon released in the mid-1950s by Warner Bros tells the story of Bugs Bunny and Nasty Canasta, where the latter pretends to be a banker who stored Bugs’ gold, but when he comes to claim it back, he refuses to give it back, claiming the bank is closing and runs away.
Six months later, with the money that he had stolen from his “clients”, Nasty Canasta decides to open his casino. Being left with no money to live, Bugs enters the casino to make a call to his mom to ask for money. But at some point, he confuses a slot machine for a "telly-o-phone". In his attempt to use the “phone,” he eventually hits a jackpot. Canasta convinces Bugs to keep playing to recoup his losses, but Lucky Bunny wins them all.
Finally, Canasta tries to rob Bugs, offering him another game, namely, Russian Roulette, pretending it like another game of chance. Bugs spins the revolver’s cylinder like a slot machine, and a mass of coins pours out of the gun’s barrel. Bugs is a winner again.
And Canasta ends up pulling the trigger with the same gun in his attempt to win like Bugs did, but occasionally, he shoots himself instead.
3 - Johny Bravo
Everyone who is familiar with this character knows about the type of “self-love” Johny Bravo has, especially when it comes to his looks. Fancy sunglasses, cool hairstyle, tight biceps, yet he is not always aware of what is going on just in front of him. In one of the episodes, he becomes a winner on a slot machine. With all the fortune he won, he ends up losing everything in a very short period, just because of a lack of knowledge and an overblown ego, which sets him apart from the money he won.
4 - Hare and Loathing in Las Vegas
Another captivating casino-themed storyline was created by the authors of Warner Bros in 2004. The main character, Bugs, lives in his rabbit holes outside of Las Vegas, living his best life, until one Yosemite Sam builds a casino over it. The bunny was forced to make a decision; he either played or got out.
Bugs is trying to save his home by playing. He wins every game he plays - blackjack, roulette, baccarat - accumulating $8,042,123,297.55 in total, leaving Sam with the last quarter.
After realising his situation, Sam is tracking down Bugs with the gun.
Chase continues on a giant pirate ship with cannons. Eventually, they are catching themselves on the top of Hoover Dam, where is conveniently a slot machine is conveniently placed. Sam uses it to give a shot to his last quarter bet, and “wins”, but the screen displays H2O, causing the dam to burst.
The episode ends with Sam’s quote, “I hate you, rabbit”.
5 - The Simpsons
One of the most enjoyed by adults, a cartoon series that has been on screens for decades. Due to its relatable content, the main characters became worldwide known. In the 10th season, one of the episodes is dedicated to the financial crisis that scourges the city, so the Simpsons family decides to get involved with casinos and gambling, in the hope of preventing the total economic collapse.
Homer works as a blackjack dealer, Bart becomes a casino executive, and Marge starts playing. It seems none of them know what they’re doing sometimes, creating funny plots where they try to save each other.
Lessons we can learn from the cartoons
For sure, cartoons are funny and relatable to audiences of any age. Due to the real-life situations they display, we love to watch them, funny situations, smart moves, and the way karma resolves bad guys’ traps makes us feel more relieved and satisfied with the happy endings.
Even if you are playing at a casino now and want to “take advantage” of the house using some £5 deposit casino sites, that goes too popular, just try to remember where it can lead you. Sure, you can win big despite the bet, but do not try to fool yourself. As you see in these cartoons, try to use their wisdom to calm the mind and make peace with thoughts about the jackpot.
When you try to use less money to win big, it’s always a mess. Just look at the animations in our list, and how the plot works with the casino at its center. The main negative driver is always greed, and it takes effort to stop seeing the winnings as a quick path to wealth. Games are about fun, not about struggle, and these cartoons highlight the meaning for all of us.
