8 Best Poker and Gambling Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · February 8, 2026

Smoky backrooms and casino floors let gambling films play with psychology and bluff. Molly’s Game has a former Olympic skier building an underground poker empire, Rounders has a reformed gambler returning for a friend’s debt, and Croupier has a casino dealer drawn into a heist. Owning Mahowny, Casino, The Gambler, California Split and The Cincinnati Kid round out the eight.

Molly's Game (2017)

IMDb ★ 7.4 RT 82% Metacritic 71

A former Olympic skier runs the world's most exclusive underground poker game.

Directed by Aaron Sorkin · 2h 21m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar8 wins & 51 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Owning Mahowny (2003)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A mild-mannered bank employee embezzles millions to fuel an insatiable, secret gambling addiction.

Directed by Richard Kwietniowski · 1h 44m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Croupier (1998)

IMDb ★ 7.0 RT 95% Metacritic 75

A struggling writer takes a casino job that pulls him into planning a real robbery.

Directed by Mike Hodges · 1h 34m · Rated R

1 win & 2 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Rounders (1998)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A reformed gambler returns to underground poker to help pay off his friend's dangerous debt to loan sharks.

Directed by John Dahl · 2h 01m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: MGM Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Casino (1995)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 79% Metacritic 73

A skilled gambler's rise running a Las Vegas casino for the mob descends into betrayal and violence.

Directed by Martin Scorsese · 2h 59m · Rated R

Nominated for 1 Oscar4 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Gambler (1974)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A literature professor's crushing gambling debts push him toward increasingly self-destructive risks.

Directed by Karel Reisz · 1h 52m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

California Split (1974)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Two compulsive gamblers form a reckless friendship as their winning streaks and losses spiral out of control.

Directed by Robert Altman · 1h 48m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

TMDB ★ 7.2

An ambitious young poker player challenges the reigning champion in a legendary high-stakes match.

Directed by Norman Jewison · 1h 42m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: YouTube TV · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

8 Best Poker and Gambling Movies of All Time

Molly's Game (2017)

Owning Mahowny (2003)

Croupier (1998)

Rounders (1998)

Casino (1995)

The Gambler (1974)

California Split (1974)

The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

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