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June 18, 2009 - Did ya hear? Leonardo DiCaprio is being tapped to star in a film about online casino gambling. And I'm not just talking about any "online casino gambling" folks. I'm talking about the online casino gambling that is of the Costa Rican sort. At this point, not much is known about the film other than the fact that Leo is signed on, his production associate, Jennifer Davisson Killoran, will be producing, and Paramount Pictures has picked up the pitch made by Brian Koppelman and David Levien - the same screenwriting pair who penned the gambling movies "Ocean's Thirteen" and "Rounders".

Apparently, Koppelman and Levien know their gambling - or at least get a kick out of it. Just as long as they aren't the authors behind the flick "Deal" with Burt Reynolds, and their fine with me. Okay, I just checked - they're not. If you say the movie "Deal", you'd know what I was talking about. My only other worry about this flick is that it will make online casino gambling out to be some kind of Wild Wild West. And you know what? I'm pretty sure that's how it's going to turn out. I mean, online gambling is pretty exciting. But, when you're going to make a movie about it, you're gonna need some crime-filled drama. And if Leonardo DiCaprio is starring, chances are there's going to be some drama.

The brief descriptions I've read so far about the project say it is going to be about "the underground world of Costa Rica-based online casinos". And unfortunately, Costa Rica does indeed foster some underground activities in the online gambling world.

The reason being is that, unlike other gaming jurisdictions that license and regulate online casinos, Costa Rica only licenses them. There is no ongoing regulation or oversight. If you gamble at a Costa Rica licensed online casino, you are basically taking your chances that you won't get ripped off. That's gambling in a nutshell anyways, right? And not to be unfair to all Costa Rica-based betting sites - 'cause there are some good one's out there backed by great reputations and credentials - Costa Rica is simply a likely contender for attracting shady operators.

So, while I always like to see a good movie somewhat based in truth, I hope this flick doesn't paint the entire online gambling industry to be a haven for crooks and cheating online casinos. In reality, there are plenty of online gaming destinations fully regulated and guaranteeing a more safe and fair betting experience than land-based regulated online casinos. With good prospects of passing new regulatory legislation in the U.S., the last thing the online gambling industry needs is a movie that sheds unfavorable qualities on the industry at large.

Originally published: June, 2009 | Categories: Gambling